>>> THE MEETING WILL COME TO
ORDER. IT'S 9:33 A.M. MARCH
11th, 2025. I'M ROBERT KETTLE
AND CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE. WILL THE COMMITTEE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? [
ROLL CALL ]
>> THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. BEFORE
STARTING OFF WITH CHAIR'S
COMMENTS, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS
MORNING. AND REALLY SPEAK TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. LAST NIGHT, I
ATTENDED A MEETING IN BELLTOWN.
THAT REALLY WAS FOCUSED ON
PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE CHALLENGES
THAT BELLTOWN FACES. AND I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE
COMMUNITY SUCH AS BELLTOWN TO
UNDERSTAND THAT -- WE
UNDERSTAND, WE RECOGNIZE THEIR
CHALLENGES. I HESITATE TO SAY WE
HEAR, BECAUSE TODAY'S WORLD
THAT'S ALMOST BECOME YES, WE
HEAR YOU. BUT NOT DOING
ANYTHING. SO I RATHER SAY WE
RECOGNIZE WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE WORKING TO THE BEST OF
OUR ABILITIES TO CHANGE THE
ENVIRONMENT. CHANGE THE --
TRAJECTORY WE'RE ON IN TERMS OF
PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I DO BELIEVE
THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. BUT
THERE'S A TIME DELAY BETWEEN
ACTION TAKEN PARTICULARLY HERE
ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE AND WHEN
IT TAKES ROOT ON THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE. IT
TAKES A YEAR TO GROW A COP AS I
OFTEN SAY AND WE'RE MAKING
GREAT HEADWAYS AND THERE'S
REASONS TO CELEBRATE BUT WE'RE
ESSENTIALLY A BRIDGING FUNCTION
BECAUSE THE COPS ARE NOT FULLY
ON BOARD. WE'RE STARTING TO SEE
IT BUT THIS TERMS OF HAVING --
NUMBERS THAT REALLY HASN'T
IMPACT, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME. SO I BELIEVE THAT -- WE'RE
IN ESSENTIALLY THIS BRIDGING
FUNCTION. AND WE REALLY NEED TO
SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S --
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF
EXPECTATIONS MANAGEMENT. IT'S
LIKE LAST MEETING WHEN I SAID
YOU KNOW I HAD GOTTEN A QUESTION
REGARDING SODA BILLS BEING IN MY
LANDMARK LEGISLATION. IT WASN'T.
IT WAS THE SET WE DID IN 2024
AND NOW IN '25 WITH OUR LESS
THAT -- LETHAL WEAPONS BILL. BUT
IT'S PART OF THE PACKAGE AND
IT'S PART OF THEWORK THAT
WE'REDOING AND IT IS GOING US
TIME TO GET IN A PLACE WHERE WE
CAN REALLY SHOW CHANGES ON THE
GROUND. SO WE'RE IN THIS --
PERIOD, THIS BRIDGING PERIOD,
WHERE WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE TAKING STEPS
FORWARD AND IT'S GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES HEAR
LIKE HEY, RECRUITMENT IS UP.
APPLICATIONS ARE UP. YOU KNOW,
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS IN SOME
AREAS LIKE VACANT BUILDINGS. I
REALLY APPRECIATE CHIEF SCOGGINS
UPDATING US IN TERM OF THE
NUMBER OF BUILDINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN BROUGHT DOWN. LIKE
BELLTOWN. THE OLD MAMAS BUILDING
HAS COME DOWN. IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE. SO THERE'S THIS
FEELING WITH THE DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION TEAM WHICH IS DOING
GREAT WORK. IT'S MAKING A
DIFFERENCE AND THAT GETS
REPORTED ON. BUT IT'S NOT --
LEVEL SET ACROSS DOWNTOWN. NEVER
MIND THE CITY. AS I KNOW, AND I
SHOULD SPEAK TO THIS AS WELL,
MAGNUSON PARK AND DISTRICT 5
WITH AURORA. WE STILL HAVE THESE
CHALLENGES. AND I JUST WANTED TO
SPEAK TO IT AND I WANTED TO
SPEAK TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS
BECAUSE I HEARD QUITE CLEARLY
LAST NIGHT THE FRUSTRATION AND
THE PAIN OF THE RESIDENTS AND
THE BUSINESS OWNERS OF BELLTOWN.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO
KEEP UP YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE
FOR THEM. BUT WE ALSO, YOU KNOW,
HEY, PLEASE DON'T LOSE HOPE.
PLEASE KEEP REPORTING, SO KEY TO
CALL AND THERE'S A BRIDGE HERE
TO TODAY'S MEETING IS STILL
KEEP CALLING 911. THERE'S
FRUSTRATION OUT THERE. BUT WE
NEED THOSE CALLS. WE NEED THE
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRECINCTS IN
THIS CASE WEST PRECINCT AND I
LIKE TO THANK CAPTAIN BROWN AND
HIS TEAM THAT WERE THERE LAST
NIGHT. WE JUST NEED TO KEEP UP
THE ENGAGEMENT AND KEEP THE
POSITIVE INTERACTION THAT SHOWS
THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND WE'RE
WORKING IT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL
THE WORK THAT HELPS IN THAT
BRIDGING FUNCTION BY THE WAY. I
APPRECIATE THE BUSINESSES THAT
HAVE PRIVATE SECURITY. AND THE
OTHER EFFORTS THAT LIKE
COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE DOING.
C-PED KIND OF WAY IN TERMS OF
WHAT'S DOING ON IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. IS WITH THAT I
JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE BASED
ON MY EXPERIENCE LAST NIGHT,
THAT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE
ARE NOT UNIVERSAL AND THAT
THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY 24/7.
THERE MAY BE DAYTIME ONLY. BUT
WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AND
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS BY WHAT WE DID LAST
JEER AND MOVE FORWARD. AND YOU
KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A BRIDGE TO
THIS -- MEETING ITSELF. BECAUSE
THE CARE DEPARTMENT IS KEY TO
THIS. TO INCLUDE THE 911 CALL
CENTER. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL
NOW OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR OPINION THE
PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE. CLERK,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY ONE IN-PERSON
SPEAKER AND TWO REMOTE SPEAKERS
SIGNED UP.
>> OKAY. EACH WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE'LL START WITH THE
IN-PERSON AND THEN GO TO REMOTE.
>> PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MODERATED. UP TO 60 MINUTES AND
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED
AND SPEAKERS WILL HEAR CHIME
WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS' MICS WILL
BE MUTED IF THEY DON'T END THE
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE
NEXTSPEAKER. THE PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN AND WILL WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IN-PERSON IS
ALONZO SMALLS.
>> GOOD MORNING. ALONZO. [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> I CAN'T STAND MY FATHER.
LIKE YOU GUYS. LIKE MY MOTHER,
RIGHT? CITY'S MOTHERS, FATHERS.
THEY MAKE DECISIONS FOR US. I'M
SPEAKING TO YOU. MY TIME IS
ALREADY STARTED BECAUSE I'M
SPEAKING TO YOU NOW. RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> SO -- WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR
YOU GUYS TO HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE YOU SIT.
SAFETY SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY, PERIOD. AND IF THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T DO IT,
WE WILL. AND OTHER THAN THAT,
EVERYBODY GET THEIR HOUSE IN
ORDER. IT'S NOT ABOUT
RECRUITMENT. YOU KNOW THAT.
IT'S ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP.
POLICING IS BASED OFF OF
LEADERSHIP. NOT FRIENDSHIP. NOT
COME TO WORK BEING YOUR PAL.
BUDDY, BUDDY. RIGHT? SO YOU GOT
A CHOICE. FIX THAT HOUSE OR WE
WILL FIX IT. THAT'
>> THANK YOU. THE FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER IS ANDREA SUAREZ. PLEASE
PRESS STAR 6 WHEN YOU HEAR THE
PROMPT. YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> OKAY. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL.
THANK YOU COUNCIL KETTLE FOR
YOUR UPDATE IN BELLTOWN. MY
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I WORK, PLAY,
LIVE AND PROVIDE PRIVATE FUNDED
OUTREACH AS MANY OF YOU KNOW. I
WANTED JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK
UPDATE THAT TIM, PATRICK AND I
ARE IN THE GREEN BELT. IN
PARTICULAR IN DISTRICT 7 IN EAST
AND WEST QUEEN ANNE. KEEPING
THOSE GREEN BELTS AS CLEAN AS WE
CAN. MUCH LIKE PRIVATE SECURITY,
WE ARE PICKING UP CONTRACTS TO
DO PRIVATE OUTREACH WITH A FOCUS
ON DRUG USER INTERVENTION. WE
STRONGLY BELIEVE THE FASTEST WAY
TO CURTAIL CRIME IS TO CURTAIL
DRUG MOTIVATED CRIME IN THE WAY
TO GET AT THAT IS TO BE VIGILANT
IN OUR OFFERING TO INTERVENE AND
OFFER DETOX SERVICES. WE ARE
TRACKING AT ABOUT TWO A WEEK.
USING STATEWIDE DETOX CENTERS
INCLUDING THE RECENT $300,000
FRICTION FREE FUND. THIS COUNCIL
AND SARA NELSON CHAMPIONED AND
WE GRADUATED A MAN YESTERDAY
FROM LAKESIDE MYLUM AND DROVE
HIM TO HIS HALFWAY HOUSE. WE
WROTE THE FIRST CHECK FOR HIS
RENT FOR $1,000 WHICH IS VERY
CHEAP. THIS IS A MUCH CHEAPER
PROCESS THAN KEEPING PEOPLE
WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WHACK
AMOLING THEM AROUND THE BLOCK. I
URGE OUTREACH OUT THERE WHO BY
THE WAY ALL OF THE OTHER
AGENCIES WHETHER IT BE REACH
REACH OR LIFELINE OR AMERICAN
BEHAVIOR HEALTH, WELFARE, COPS,
YOUTH CARE HAVE ALL REACHED OUT
TO WE HEART SEATTLE BECAUSE WE
GET IT DONE. WHETHER IT'S BUS
TICKETS OR TRANSPORTATION, WE
ARE THE PRIVATE PUBLIC
COLLABORATION THAT'S REALLY
TICKING BEHIND THE SCENES HERE
IN SEATTLE HELPING THE CITY. I
THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
NOTE I HAVE UNLOCKED 341 HOMES
STATEWIDE THAT ARE HALFWAY
HOUSES. AND WE NEED TO ACCESS
THAT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO OFFER TO
AMY BARDON AND HER TEAM OUR
SERVICES. IF SHE NEEDS TO SCALE,
WE ARE HERE AS SUBCONTRACTORS
AND WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
CALL ME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT REMOTE
SPEAKER IS DAVID HAYNES.
>> HI. I THOUGHT THE ORIGINAL
IDEA OF CARE IS WHEN 911 IS
CALLED, AND THERE WAS
CRIME,MENIAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND
DRUG ADDICTION AND/OR INNOCENT
UNNECESSARILY SUFFERING. THE
RESPONSE WOULD BE HOLISTICALLY
COVERED WITH POLICE AND C.A.R.E.
CONNECTED TO SERVICE PROVIDERS.
YET THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL
DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER BUILDING
ENOUGH CAPACITY WITHIN THE
RACIST LOADED BUDGET TO EXPEDITE
THE ONGOING NEEDS. INSTEAD, WE
HAVE NO REAL EFFECTIVE COURT
ORDER ONLY VOLUNTARY EFFORTS BY
TROUBLED INDIVIDUALS TO DEAL
WITH THEIR ADDICTION AND
SELF-DESTRUCTIVE CUSTOM
VIOLATING WAYS WHO CAUSE REAL
PROBLEMS FOR INNOCENT OTHERS
RESULTING IN MASSIVE 911
RESPONSE AND MINIMAL SUCCESS DUE
TO IMMORAL RULES OF LAW, LACK OF
PROPER CHAINING AND LEADERS THAT
MISINTERPRET WHAT CONSTITUTES A
CRIME. AND JUSTIFIED COURT
ORDERED REQUIREMENTS. EXCUSE ME
FOR SAYING THIS BUT ONE OF THE
BIGGEST CONCERNS IS HOW C.A.R.E.
AND L. E. A. D. CHARM THEIR WAY
AND START RUNNING INTERFERENCE
FOR 911 CRIMINAL CALLS AND START
CLAIMING THESE ARE LOW LEVEL
NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANORS. NO
NEED TO BOTHER WITH IT. IT'S A
CRIME. SOME OF THESE ARE
CONNECTED TO THE CRIMINAL
UNDERWORLD DRUG SUPPLIERS
BOTHERING PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE OF
COMMUNITY AND IMPLODING SOCIETY
AND BEING EXEMPTED FROM
JUDGMENT. GETTING PRIORITY FOR
HOUSING AND SERVICES FIRST FOR
THE REPEAT OFFENDERS WITHOUT
BEING TRESPASSED AND QUESTIONED
AT THE POLICE STATION BEFORE
THEY BYPASS ANY AND ALL
PUNISHMENT WITH NO COURT ORDERED
EFFECTIVE ADDICTION, TREATMENT
AND NO COMMUNITY SERVICES TO
SUPERVISE. IT'S LIKE THE
EXECUTIVE AKA BRUCE MERRELL IS
STILL RUNNING INTERFERENCE BY
USING QUARTERMILLION DOLLAR
TAXPAYER SALARIES TO
CONVENIENTLY USE THEM TO START
LISTING EVIL CRIMINALS AS LOW
LEVEL NO NEED TO BOTHER WITH
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE COMMITTING
CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND
DESTROYING ECONOMIES.
>> THANK YOU DAVID. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
>> OKAY, PUBLIC COMMENT HAS
FINISHED. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ARE ENCOURAGED TO EITHER SUBMIT
WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT OR EMAIL
THE COUNCIL AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV AND I ALWAYS
SAY THAT WE DO LISTEN TO PUBLIC
COMMENTS. AND I WILL SAY YES, IT
STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP. AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN SHOWING
HERE IN THE COUNCIL PARTICULARLY
WITH THIS COMMITTEE AS IT
RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY. AND
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE
HERE. SO -- WITH THAT, WE WILL
NOW MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK READ
ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD.
>> C.A.R.E. UPDATE 911 CENTER,
CCR TEAM AND FUTURE PLANNING.
>> WELL, GOOD MORNING AND
WELCOME CHIEF BARDON. I WELCOME
YOU TO THE TABLE BUT YOU ARE
HERE. IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE
YOURSELF YOU BOTH CAN INTRODUCE
YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD I'D
APPRECIATE IT AND AGAIN WELCOME
AND THEN WE'LL START OFF THE
PRESENTATION.
>> YES. GOOD MORNING. AMY BARDON
HERE. SEATTLE C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT. CHAIR KETTLE I THINK
YOU AND I ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN
THE CITY WHO REALLY ENJOY PUBLIC
COMMENT. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE ARE
ENGAGING. AND I FEEL LIKE HALF
OF MY JOB AT LEAST IS EDUCATION
AND ELIMINATING AND EXPLAINING
WHAT THE ACTUALLY GOING ON. I AM
JOINED TODAY BY MY CHIEF OF
STAFF JAKE ADAMS WHO HAS BEEN IN
911 FOR LONG TIME. NOW SERVING
IN A LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH
OPERATIONS AND HOW WE DO SCALE
UP THESE INTERVENTIONS. I HAVE A
WHOLE BUNCH OF MY VALUED
TEAMMATES BEHIND ME WHICH FEELS
REALLY GOOD. DO YOU REMEMBER THE
FIRST TIME I PRESENTED I WAS
ALONE. IT'S BEEN FUN TO BUILD
UP THE LEADERSHIP. AS YOU ALL --
>> GOOD TO MEET YOU JAKE AND AS
I HAVE TOLD CHIEF BARDON, NEXT
SOMETIME SHE COMES TO MY OFFICE
FOR OUR CHECKNY MEETINGS IF SHE
HAS TO BRING YOU WITH HER.
>> GREAT.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK
YOU.
>> YEAH. THAT'S TRUE. ASK HIM
QUESTIONS LATER, HE'S VERY
SMART. AS YOU KNOW, THIS SEATTLE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT IS A FULLY
INDEPENDENT THIRD PUBLIC SAFETY
DEPARTMENT IT CURRENTLY HOUSES
SEATTLE 911 AND THE C.A.R.E.
CRISIS RESPONDERS. AND YOU HAVE
ALL HEARD ME SAY THAT BY THE
DATA, BY THE 60s, WE SHOULD HAVE
SET UP A NEW FIRST RESPONDER
UNIT THAT WE HAD ESCALATING
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND
HOMELESSNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE
AND SUICIDE. SO I WAS IN COLLEGE
WHEN THE ASIS STUDY WAS FIRST
PUBLISHED. THAT'S ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES IT WAS
WATERSHED RESEARCH AT THE TIME
COMPELLING US TO REALLY
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AMERICANAL
HEALTH AND HEALTH ARE
INTERTWINED AND ALSO SUGGESTING
THAT MOST OF US DO BEAR
INVISIBLE SCARS AND SOME PEOPLE
BEAR WOUNDS THAT NEVER REALLY
QUITE HEAL. WHILE WORKING IN THE
SPACE OF FOSTER CARE, I LEARNED
TO STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE
RETURN A CHILD TO A HEALTHY
TRAJECTORY. SOME KIDS WERE NEVER
ON THAT MATH TO -- PATH TO BEGIN
WITH. SOME THINGS GO WRONG EVEN
IN UTERO. WE STARTED TO
UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE GRIT AND
VULNERABILITY. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
THE PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF ACUTE
TRAUMA AND ALSO CHRONIC STRESS.
AND RESEARCHERS AT STARTED TO
UNDERSTAND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
AND POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH. WHY
IS IT THAT TWO PEOPLE CAN HAVE
ROUGHLY THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES
AND ONE PERSON WILL RESPOND TO
TRAUMA BY FORGING MEANING IN IT,
USING IT REALLY TO COMPEL
TRANSFORMATION AND PERSONAL
GROWTH AND YET ANOTHER PERSON
MIGHT SPIRAL INTO BITTERNESS OR
SELF-DESTRUCTION? AND THE TRUTH
IS WE DON'T ENTIRELY KNOW. THE
BRAIN IS REALLY COMPLEX. AND
THERE ARE COUNTLESS FACTORS THAT
IMPACT OUR RESPONSES AND OUR
CHOICES. AND I THINK ABOUT MY
OWN LIFE AND WHY I METABOLIZE
THE HARD THINGS THAT I DID.
GENERALLY INTELLECTUALIZING THEM
AND ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING THAT
EVERY SINGLE EXPERIENCE COULD BE
USED FOR GOOD IF I DID THE WORK.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF NEIGHBORS
IN OUR COMMUNITY, ALL ACROSS
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHO ARE
SUFFERING. SOME ARE DYING SLOWLY
AND OTHERS ARE DYING SUDDENLY.
MOST OF THOSE DEATHS ARE
PREVENTABLE AND AVOIDABLE. AND
IN 911, WE DO UNIQUELY HAVE A
FRONT ROW SEAT TO ALL OF IT AND
SO I LOVE ACADEMIC JURY ROOMISTS
AND I LOVE RESEARCH AND THEORIES
AND DWELLING IN COMPLEXITY BUT
TODAY ATTEMPT TO DISTILL WHAT I
RAY IS REALLY GOING ON AND HOW
BEST WE CAN HELP. NEXT, PLEASE.
SO THE SENDING A
CIVILIAN REAN
ALTERNATIVE TO POLICE IS NOT
NEW. CAHOOTS WAS FIRST
ESTABLISHED IN EUGENE, OREGON
WHEN I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL.
CORESPONDER TEAMS START TODAY
POP UP ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SOMETIMES IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS
LIKE OURS IN 2010. SOMETIMES IN
FIRE DEPARTMENTS LIKE HEALTH
ONE. SOME COMMUNITY BASED
RESPONSES ARE ARE OUTSOURCED TO
NONPROFIT PROVIDERS. THIS IS THE
CURRENT MODEL IN DENVER AND IN
ATLANTA AND IN LOTS OF
JURISDICTIONS. AND WHEN I
STARTED THIS ROLE, I WAS REALLY
AGNOSTIC ABOUT THE DESIGN. I
KNEW THAT THE PROBLEMS AND
CONSIDERATIONS WERE TOO COMPLEX
TO BE GOOGLABLE AND I ALSO
ASSUMED THAT PEOPLE HAD ALREADY
DEDICATED YEARS LIFETIMES TO
THIS WORK. AND SO I SOUGHT THEM
OUT. AND I WAS LUCKY TO BE
EMBRACED BY A NUMBER OF REALLY
FANTASTIC LEARNING COMMUNITIES
COMPRISED OF BOTH ACADEMICS AND
PRACTITIONERS AND I WENT ON RIDE
ALONGS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I
PRIORITIZED FIRST UNDERSTANDING
THE DESIGNS IN DENVER, AND IN
DURHAM AND IN ALBUQUERQUE
BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE THESE
CITIES HAD THE BEST MOTE UP IN
THE SPACE. AND I LEARNED NOT
JUST FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS.
LY -- ESPECIALLY IN PEOPLE WHO
HAD BENEFITED FROM THESE TEAMS
AND COMMUNITY. I WAS TEASED A
LOT INITIALLY FOR HAVING TWO
REALLY BIG JOBS. 911 IS AN
INDUSTRY IS VASTLY MISUNDERSTOOD
AND IT'S OVERLOOKED AND IT IS
CATASTROPHICALLY UNDERINVESTED
IN. AND ALSO DESIGNING
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE IN A CITY
OF THIS SIZE AND COMPLEXITY IS
NOT A SMALL UNDERTAKING. SO I
WAS CHATTING WITH SARAH SMITH
ABOUT THIS SLIDE COUPLE OF DAYS
AGO AND KEPT SAYING IS THAT
RIGHT? WAS THAT JUST IN 2023 AND
WE LAUGHED BECAUSE WE FORGET HOW
MUCH WE HAVE DONE IN SUCH SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME. MAKES ME FEEL
TIRED BUT MOSTLY MAKES ME FEEL
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE
TREMENDOUS SUPPORT THIS COUNCIL
HAS SHOWN THE EXECUTIVE AND I
ALSO HAD HELP FROM FOLKS ALL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I HAVE NOTED
HERE FOR YOU A FEW KEY MOMENTS I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE. HER BOLT
AND LEWIS AND ALL OF THE WORK
THEY DID THAT PRECIPITATED MY
ARRIVAL HERE. 911 WAS REMOVED
FROM SPD AND ORIGINALLY WAS
CALLED CSCC. NOBODY REMEMBER
WHAT HAD THAT STOOD FOR WHICH
USED TO MAKE ME LAUGH. IN 2023
THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED THE C.A.R.E.
NAME IN A SPEECH. AND INITIALLY
STOOD FOR CIVILIAN ASSISTED
RESPONSE AND ENGAGEMENT. AND THE
FIRST EMAIL I EVER GOT TO MY
WORK EMAIL WAS FROM A STRATEGIC
ADVISOR WHO ALERTED MED THAT
FOLKS IN 911 WERE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE NEW NAME. BECAUSE
SEATTLE C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT
SPELLS SCARED AND I TOTALLY
THOUGHT I WAS BEING HAZED AND I
FOUND OUT DEFENDANT A REAL THING
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY
FUNNY. I ADVOCATED INITIALLY NOT
TO USE THAT TERM CIVILIAN
BECAUSE IT'S A MILITARISTIC
TERM AND THIS IS A COMMUNITY
RESPONSE. I WON THE DEBATE AND I
WAS KIND OF SMUG ABOUT IT ONLY
TO LEARN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE P
THE MAYOR INSISTED ON CALLING ME
CHIEF. AND IT WAS SEPTEMBER AND
I WAS TOO FATIGUED TO DEBATE
ANYMORE. AND I SAID I DEFER TO
THE MAYOR AND WE CONCEDED AND
NOW LOOKING BACK I CAN SEE THAT
MOVE THAT HE MADE WAS A STROKE
OF GENIUS. AND IT WAS ALSO
REALLY IMPORTANT IN PENCE
MILLION. HE WANTED THREE COEQUAL
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS WITH
THREE CHIEFS. THE C.A.R.E.
RESPONDERS JUST AS OF THIS WEEK
ARE CITY-WIDE. TEN HOURS A DAY.
THE CURRENT HEAD COUNT OF 24
RESPONDERS IS NOT NEARLY
ADEQUATE TO MEET THE NEEDS. BY
THE CRISIS DATA WE DO NEED 24/7
COVERAGE. WE'RE GETTING REALLY
CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO SAY IN
911 POLICE, FIRE, EMS OR MENTAL
HEALTH AND WHEN WE ANSWER THE
PHONE, THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO
BE. TODAY THERE ARE 89
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE PROGRAMS
AROUND THE COUNTRY. I OFTEN TALK
ABOUT RACER WHICH IS JOUST TO
THE NORTH AND I THINK THAT'S A
FANTASTIC MODEL FOR SMALLER
JURISDICTIONS TO SHARE A CENTRAL
CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. THE
CORESPONDER OUTREACH ALLIANCE IS
THRIVING IN WASHINGTON STATE.
THIS IS WHERE ONE CATEGORY WHERE
WE ARE THE MOST ADVANCED IN THE
NATION AND ORGANIZED. WE NOW
HAVE 50 CORESPONDER TEAMS ACROSS
THE STATE. AND THE CENTRAL
COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONDER
ACADEMIC HUB NOW BEEN
ESTABLISHED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON UNDER THE
EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP OF DR.
JENNIFER STUBBIER. SHE ALSO
DESIGNED OUR C.A.R.E. RESPONDER
ACADEMY. WE DREAM THAT ALL
CORESPONDERS AND COMMUNITY
RESPONDERS GET TO TRAIN UP
TOGETHER AND SHARE LEARNING AND
GET TO SHARE BEST PRACTICE AND
VERNACULAR. YOU MAY BE AWARE OF
HOUSE BILL 1816 WHICH IS
ACTUALLY GOING TO HOUSE VOTE
TOMORROW. THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
GIVE JURISDICTIONS OF 300,000
CITIZEN OR MORE THE RIGHT TO
HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
UNIT LIKE C.A.R.E. FULLY OUTSIDE
THE JURISDICTION OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT. THIS DOES NOT
PRECLUDE CENTIVE BARGAINING AND
IMPACT BARGAINING. RATHER, IT'S
SUGGESTING THAT ONCE THAT WORK
IS BARGAINED AND IT'S
ESTABLISHED TO BE THE BODY OF
WORK LIKE C.A.R.E., C.A.R.E.
WOULD BE ABLE TO GROW AND EXPAND
RELATIVE TO THE DATA. FULLY
INDEPENDENT OF THE SAME AS
POLICE AND FIRE. AND THEN
SECONDARILY, THE LEGISLATION
WOULD PROVIDE A PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE EXEMPTION FOR
C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS. THIS IS
IMPERATIVE TO PROTECTING THE
PRIVACY OF OUR VULNERABLE
NEIGHBORS. THE BILL IS
BIPARTISAN AND IT HAS 14
SPONSORS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
-- BACK TO HOW TO THINK ABOUT
THE PROBLEM. WHEN I ARRIVED IN
911, I REALIZED THAT WE HAVE
DESIGNED THIS SYSTEM TO BE
SILOED, FRACTURED, AND
INCOMPLETE. AT THE TIME, I COULD
SEE WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE CRISIS
AND DETOX TEAMS AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL AND WE'VE GOT MANY
DIFFERENT OUTREACH TEAMS RUN BY
LOCAL NONPROFITS AND I HAVE AND
TROLL OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICERS AND HEALTH ONE
AND HEALTH 99 ALL DIFFERENT
RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND
KIND NOMENCLATURE. LITTLE TO NO
INFORMATION SHARING ACROSS
SECTORS AND TEAMS. I SPENT
REALLY LONG DAYS IN 911 THOSE
FIRST SIX MONTHS. AND I DID
LISTEN TO POLICE RADIO ALMOST
AROUND THE CLOCK AND I QUICKLY
LEARNED THAT VERY OFTEN A CALL
WILL COME IN. WE WILL SCREEN IT
AND SEND IT TO FIRE. AND FIRE
WILL SCREEN IT AND SAY IT
DOESN'T MEET OUR PROTOCOLS.
RIGHT? THEY'RE BEST POSITIONED
FOR A MEDICAL CALL THAT COULD
END AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THEY SEND IT BACK TO 911.
AND THEN WE SEND IT BACK TO
POLICE. AND WE COMPEL POLICE TO
GO. AND THEN SOMETIMES POLICE GO
AND THEY SAY THIS IS MEDICAL.
THIS IS NOT US. IT GOES BACK TO
US AND IT GOES BACK TO FIRE AND
I AM OBSERVING THIS EVERY DAY AS
I START. I DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO
SEND. IT WAS CHIEF SCOGGINS WHO
HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THERE ARE
MORE PERSON DOWN IN WELFARE
CHECK CALLS THAT ARE NOT
APPROPRIATE FOR FIRE OR POLICE.
WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO SEND.
AND TODAY'S STILL. EVEN WITH
IMPROVEMENTS IN STAFFING ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS, THE AVERAGE
RESPONSE TIME TO A PRIORITY 3
CALL WHICH IS AN EMERGENCY,
HOVERS AROUND TWO AND A HALF
HOURS. AND I CONSIDER THAT A
NONRESPONSE. THERE'S A DAY I
REALIZED THAT I RUN 911 AND I
STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
NUMBER TO CALL OR WHERE TO FILE
A REPORT OR WHAT APP TO USE. I
LEARNED THAT ASSUMING THAT
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY NEED IS
CATASTROPHICALLY MISGUIDED BY
THE DAY THAT THEY DO NOT. AND IN
AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, YOU MIGHT
RELATE TO THIS. SOMETIMES IT'S
HARD TO EVEN REMEMBER YOUR
ADDRESS. AND THE COOCCURRENCE OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL AND
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES IS
NEARLY UNIVERSAL. MOST CALLS
WOULD IDEALLY REQUIRE TWO OF
THOSE TEAMS. SO RATHER THAN
ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE A WHOLE
SEPARATE MENTAL HEALTH DISPATCH
SYSTEM WITH A SEPARATE NUMBER,
WE SHOULD HAVE ADDED MORE
DIVERSE RESPONSES IN 911. KEEP
IT SIMPLE. I THINK IDEALLY THERE
SHOULD BE TWO NUMBERS. IF
SOMETHING COULD GET WORSE
QUICKLY, THAT'S AN EMERGENCY,
THAT'S 911. IF MY BIKE WAS
STOLEN YESTERDAY, AND IT'S
GONE. THAT MAYBE A REPORT. BUT
IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY. AND
AGAIN, BY OUR DATA, PEOPLE GUESS
WRONG 20% TO 30% OF THE TIME. I
LEARNED QUICKLY THAT WHILE FOLKS
IN THE CITY WERE DEBATING THE
IDEAL DEFINITIONS OF HARM
REDUCTION AND RECOVERY WE WERE
LIEUING ON AVERAGE FOUR DAYS A
DAY TO OVERDOSE MY NEIGHBORS.
YOU CAN IMAGINE CONFUSION THE
DAY THAT I LEARNED AT THE TIME I
DIDN'T HAVE 24/7 DETOX IN THE
SPACE OF THAT EMERGENCY. AND
ALSO I SPENT TIME AT HARBORVIEW
AND REALIZED YOU CANNOT GET
METHADONE THERE AT THE TIME. WHY
AM I TAKING FOLKS AND GOT THE
ANSWERS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO
TAKE THEM.
>> I LEARNED ABOUT THE DCR
PROCESS AND WE HAVE CRICKKY'S
LAW BEDS AND CAPACITY BUT WE
DON'T REFER TO THEM.
>> A COP DOESN'T WANT TO WAIT
FOR TWO, THREE HOURS FOR A DRR
TO SHOW UP WHEN THERE ARE
PRIORITY 1 AND 2 CALLS COMING IN
LEFT AND RIGHT. I LEARNED A LOT
ABOUT FENTANYL AND THE
IMPROBABILITY THAT SOMEONE IS
GOING TO SHOW UP FOR AN
APPOINTMENT IN FIVE DAYS. ONE
MEDICAL DOCTOR SAID AMY, IT'S
IMPROBABLE FIVE HOURS LATER. LET
ALONE FIVE DAYS. I LEARNED THAT
IT IS INCREDIBLY EASY AND
AFFORDABLE TO GET THESE DRUGS.
AND IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO
GET TREATMENT. I LEARNED THAT
MOST CRIMES IN OUR CITY DO
CORRELATE WITH SUBSTANCE USE.
AND YET WE ONLY HAVE 110
PARTICIPANTS AND DRUG DIVERSION
COURT ONE OF BEST AND MOST
SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS IN THE
COUNTRY. AND I LEARNED FROM
PEOPLE IN RECOVERY THAT A JAIL
BOOKING IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A
DETERRENT. IT'S NOT A FRIEND
SAID LAST WEEK THAT'S WHERE I
USED THE MAKE MY USER FRIEND AND
WE'D IMMEDIATELY EXIT AND GO
USE AGAIN. I COULD GO ON AND ON.
NOTHING MADE SENSE AND IT WAS
CLEAR THAT THE SYSTEM WILL
PREDICTABLY FAIL PEOPLE RIGHT
FROM THE FIRST CALL. SO YOU WILL
RECALL THE FIRST TIME I
PRESENTED, I HAD THIS SIMPLE
VENN DIAGRAM AND A SIMPLE IDEAS.
WE SHOULD BE THREADINGS OF A
PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM AND THERE
NEEDS TO BE CONTINUUM OF CRISIS
RESPONSE TEAM. I HAVE HEALTH ONE
AND I HAVE C.A.R.E. AND THEN I
HAVE GOT POLICE CORESPONSE. I
WAS IN DC A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO
AND I HAD A GREAT PLEASURE OF
PRESENTING TO GEORGETOWN LAW
ALONGSIDE PROFESSORS. NOW
CHRISTY LOW POSSESS IS A LEGEND
IN THE SPACE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
AND POLICE RENORM BE WAS A
PRINCIPAL STRATEGIST BEHIND THE
CONSENT DECREES. AND DR. LOPEZ
WAS EXPLAINING TO THIS VERY
BRIGHT CLASS THE NEED TO
DECENTER POLICING AS THE FOCAL
POINT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THEN
ONE OF THE STUDENTS ASKED, WELL,
WHAT DO YOU CENTER THEN? AND I
JUMPED IN AND I SAID 911. YOU
CENTER THE DATA. WE NEED
OBJECTIVE INDEPENDENT DISPATCH
CENTERS WHERE PROFESSIONALS ARE
ELEVATED AND SUPPORTED TO BE THE
PRIMARY ARCHITECTS AND
CONDUCTORS OF THE SYSTEM OF
FIRST RESPONSE. IN AN IDEAL
STATE, WE WOULD NEVER DISPATCH A
GUN AND A BADGE IF THERE WASN'T
AN ACTUAL REASON TO BELIEVE THE
CALL REQUIRED IT. NEXT SLIDE. SO
C.A.R.E. WORKED HARD ON
DEVELOPING AN ORGANIZATIONAL
IDENTITY WHEN I ARRIVED WE
DIDN'T HAVE ONE. RIGHT? WE HAD
BEEN PULLED OUT OF SPD BUT THERE
WAS NO NEW CULTURE. ARTICULATED.
I OFTEN SAY WE'RE SMART AND
WE'RE COMPASSIONATE. WE DEBATE
THINGS IN OUR DEPARTMENT. WE
RESPECT AND WE SOMETIMES DEMAND
DISSENT OPINIONS BECAUSE THE
WORK IS REALLY SUBJECTIVE. WE
ASK WHY FIVE TIMES. MY TEAMMATES
LEARNED QUICKLY THAT I AM NOT
ABOUT RULES AND I'M ABOUT
PRINCIPLES AND I CARE ABOUT ONE
THING DEEPLY. WHICH IS THE WAY
WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER. IT IS
ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO BE TOUGH ON
IDEAS AND SYSTEMS AND NEVER ON
PEOPLE. TO BE GOOD AT THIS WORK,
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SUSPEND
JUDGMENT ABOUT WHO SOMEONE IS
AND HOW OR WHY THEY ARRIVED IN
THIS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY'RE
IN. OUR ROLE IS TO HELP. AND MY
EXPECTATION IS THAT WE EXTEND
THE SAME COURTESY TO ONE ANOTHER
AS WE DO TO THE STRANGERS THAT
WE SUPPORT EVERY DAY. NOW THESE
PRINCIPLES YOU SEE BEFORE YOU
ARE STILL DRAFTY BUT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING A LOT ABOUT OUR SHARED
VISION AND VALUES AND I BELIEVE
C.A.R.E. SHOULD BE THE PRINCIPAL
INFORMANT ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING
AND WHAT'S LACKING IN PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HEALTH. NEXT. SO
THANKS TO SEAN BLACKWELL. WE
HAVE HUNDREDS OF GREAT PHOTOS
FROM THE PAST YEAR. TWO OF MY
FAVORITE EXPERIENCES IN THIS JOB
HANDS-DOWN WERE HOLDING THE
FIRST EVER C.A.R.E.
DEPARTMENT'S AWARD DINNER WHERE
WE HONORED COURAGE AND SERVICE
AND CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS A
NUMBER OF CATEGORIES. THE
EXPANSION OF THE CRISIS
RESPONDER TEAM PRECIPITATED THE
FIRST EVER C.A.R.E. ACADEMY
GRADUATION CEREMONY WHICH
INCLUDED HONORING OUR
EXTRAORDINARY ORIGINAL SIX
C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS. THE MAYOR
SPOKE AND I REALIZED AT THAT
TIME THAT I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY
PERSON WHO'S ROUTINELY IN HIS
AUDIENCE. HE BROUGHT THE HOUSE
DOWN. JAKE ACTUALLY SAID AFTER
THAT WAS SO AWESOME. THAT WAS
LIKE CHURCH. AND I AGREE. THE
MAYOR AND MANY OF HIS TEAMMATES
CAME TO THE HOLIDAYPARTIES THIS
YEAR. WE HAVE TWO SO FOLKS CAN
ATTEND ACROSS SHIFTS AND EVERY
ONE OF YOU HAS SPENT TIME
INVESTING IN THIS YOUNG
DEPARTMENT. SEEKING TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE WORK BOTH IN 911
AND IN CRISIS RESPONSE. I
APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH. IT'S
MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS VISIT US.
BUSINESS LEADERS, ELECTED
OFFICIALS AT OVAL LEVEL OF
GOVERNMENT. FAITH LEADERS.
INITIALLY MY INTROVERTED
TEAMMATES WERE A LITTLE
CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF THIS
PRESS AND ATTENTION. BUT WE'VE
FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT WHERE
THE FOLKS WHO PREFER TO BE
ANONYMOUS CAN AVOID THE
SPOTLIGHT. FOR THE FIRST TIME
LAST YEAR, WE JOINED OUR
PROFESSIONAL DISPATCH
ORGANIZATIONS APCO AND NINA AND
YOU CAN'T IMAGINE MY DELIGHT
WHEN WE WON TEAM OF THE YEAR
LAST FALL. WE JUST PARTICIPATED
IN 911 GOES TO WASHINGTON WITH
400 OTHER PROFESSIONALS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. NEXT. SO IN 2024 I
SHARED THAT RETENTION WAS MY TOP
PRIORITY AND I KNOW I NEED A
GREAT WORKPLACE. THE WORK IS
CHALLENGING. AND WE DON'T HAVE
THE SAME SUPPORTS AS POLICE AND
FIRE. WE DON'T HAVE MENTAL
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS. PEOPLE
DON'T TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
IMPACTS TO DISPATCHERS OR
WELL-BEING INVESTMENTS. WE
DON'T HAVE A GYM. WE DON'T A
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS ALTHOUGH
I MIGHT ASK FOR ONE IN THE
SUPPLEMENTAL BUT WHAT DO WE
CONTROL? I MADE A NUMBER OF
MANAGEMENT MOVES. I HAVE BEEN
VERY COMMITTED TO HIRING AND
PROMOTING INTERNALLY WHERE
POSSIBLE AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW
TWO OF MY PRIMARY LEADERS ON THE
C.A.R.E. SIDE CAME FROM 911
SUPERVISION. MY DEPUTY CHIEF
CHARLOTTE JOSEPH WAS ABSOLUTELY
NOT SEEKING THAT ROLE AND I'M
REALLY GLAD I TALKED HER INTO
IT. SHE IS BRILLIANT AND ONE OF
THE BEST MOVES SHE MADE WAS
PUTTING JAMIE McMURRAY IN CHARGE
OF TRAINING WHO DID A
COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OVERALL.
I STUDIED LEARNING SCIENCE AND
COGNITION AS PART OF A
DOCTORATE. WE LEARN BY DOING AND
WE LEARN BEST WHEN THINGS THAT
WE UNDERSTAND ARE BUILT UPON.
ANXIETY IMPAIRS LEARNING AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY PROMOTES
IT. WE CHANGED HOW WE RECRUIT
AND WE CHANGED WHO WE RECRUIT. I
SIT DOWN WITH EVERY MEMBER OF
THE NEW CALL TAKING CLASS AS
THEY COME IN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR
TO GET TO KNOW THEM. GENERALLY
SHARING WITH THEM WHERE WE'VE
COME AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AND
CRUCIALLY STRESSING THE VITAL
IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE THAT
THEY'RE ABOUT TO PLAY. OUR PEER
SUPPORT TEAM HAS BECOME ONE OF
THE MOST ACTIVE AND PASSIONATE
AROUND. LED BY ASHLEY AND AUDREY
WASHINGTON. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE
19 MEMBERS. THIS FOCUS ON
WELL-BEING AND SELF-CARE IS
VISIBLE EVERYWHERE IN 911 TODAY.
AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH STATE
LEADERS TO DEVELOP A STATEWIDE
PEER SUPPORT NETWORK FOR
DISPATCHERS AND A 24/7 HOTLINE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, WE
CUT ATTRITION IN HALF LAST YEAR
AND I HAVE STRESSED TO PEOPLE I
DON'T WANT TO RETAIN AT ALL
COSTS. SOME PEOPLE WON'T BE A
GOOD FIT AND SOME WILL FA TEAL
AND UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE
WORK. SEVERAL OF MY TEAMMATES
ARE ABOUT TO JOIN SPD TO WORK IN
THE REALTIME CRIME CENTER AND I
THINK THAT'S AWESOME. I HAVE
HIRED A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICERS FROM POLICE AND
I REALLY LOVE WATCHING PEOPLE
FLOW TO THE WORK THAT THEY WANT
TO DO IN THE CURRENT SEASON OF
LIFE. NEXT. SO YOU WILL SEE HERE
THE CALLSCOMING INTO 911 STAYED
PRETTY STEADY IN 2024. THEY WERE
HIGHER OVERALL INCREMENTALLY.
WHAT'S NOT REPRESENTED HERE ARE
ONLINE REPORT TRENDS. WE ARE
TRYING TO AUTOMATE ANYTHING THAT
WE CAN AUTOMATE TO ALLEVIATE THE
BURDEN AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY.
NEXT. SO THOSE DISPATCH TIMES TO
PRIOR TIE 1, 2 AND 3 CALLS
SHOULD ALARM YOU. THEY KEEP ME
UP AT NIGHT. SO THIS IS JUST THE
-- TIME FROM WHEN WE TAKE THE
CALL WHEN WE DISPATCH THE CALL
MEANING WE ASSIGN A UNIT. IT'S
GOING TO BE OWN LONGER BEFORE
SOMEBODY ACTUALLY IS ON THE
SCENE. IDEALLY, PRIORITY 1 I
SHOULD BE GETTING OFFICERS TO
THOSE CALLS IN UNDER SEVEN
MINUTES. AND IT'S STILL
HOVERING AROUND 11 MINUTES. SO
IN THIS CONTEXT, CALL
PRIORITIZATION REASSESSMENT WAS
A HUGE OPERATIONAL PRIORITY LAST
YEAR. DEPUTY CHIEF BARDON AND
JOSEPH DROVE ONE OF THE MOST
EFFICIENT AND INTELLIGENCE WORK
GROUPS I HAVE EVER SEEN TO
RETHINK. ERIC ONCE SAID TO ME,
AMY, IF EVERIING IS PRIORITY 1,
NOTHING IS PRIORITY 1 AND HIS
POINT WAS IN THE SPACE OF A TRUE
STAFFING CRISIS, AND ESCALATING
CALLS IT'S IMPERATIVE THE
ACTUAL THREAT THE LIFE BE
PRIORITIZED. SO THERE WAS A LOT
OF DEBATE AMONG OUR TEAMS AND
SPD AND C.A.R.E. AND I REALLY
LOVED THAT. ONE OF MOST
INTERESTING WAS AROUND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE CALLS. IN 911, WE HAD
STRAYED REALLY CYNICAL SO WE
HEAR A MAN AND A WOMAN ARGUING.
WHAT IF THEY'RE MARRIED AND
WHAT IF HE KILLS HER? BUT WE
NEED TO REDEFINE OUR PROTOCOLS
AND UPDATE OUR PRACTICE TO BE
ALIGNED WITH THE DATA. AND WHAT
WE KNOW. YOU SEE, THAT LAST
MONTH WE HAD 50% FEWER PRIORITY
1 CALLS OVER THE SAME MONTH A
YEAR AGO. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT
BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER CRIMES I
WISH THAT WAS WHY. IT IS BECAUSE
WE REDEFINED WHAT IS A PRIORITY
1 CALL. NEXT. C.A.R.E.
RESPONDERS HAVE NOW BEEN OVER
1700 CALLS AND THE TRENDS HAVE
STAYED CONSISTENT. FOR CALLS
THEY ARE DISPATCHED TO ABOUT 30%
TO 40% OF THE TIME THEY'RE
GIVING SOMEONE A RIDE. EXPANDING
THE C.A.R.E. RESPONDER TEAM HAS
BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR US
OPERATIONALLY BECAUSE UNLIKE
POLICE AND UNLIKE FIRE, WE
DON'T HAVE FOLKS PURELY
DEDICATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT PURCHASING INVENTORY. WE
ALL DO A LOT AND ALTHOUGH I LOVE
BEING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, IN
SHARED PURPOSE WITH MY
COLLEAGUES, I AM BURNING MY
PEOPLE OUT. MY LEADERS AND
MANAGERS ARE OFTEN PUTTING IN 60
OR 70 OR LAST WEEK 80 HOURS A
WEEK BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THIS
WORK IS TIME SENSITIVE AND
URGENT AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE
THE BANDWIDTH AND ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT SO I TAKE A MOMENT TO
REMIND THE COUNCIL ABOUT BUDGET.
THAT THIS YEAR THE POLICE BUDGET
IS $448 MILLION. THE HUMAN
SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS
$385 MILLION. FIRE IS ABOUT $327
MILLION AND C.A.R.E. IS $33
MILLION. IF THE CITY IS SERIOUS
ABOUT BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE
DEPARTMENT, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED
MORE INVESTMENT AND WE
ESPECIALLY NEED TO INVEST IN
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO GROW
THOSE EXPANDING DIVISIONS. I'LL
ALSO REMIND YOU THAT EVERY TIME
I DISPATCH C.A.R.E. WE'RE SAVING
50 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR AT LEAST
VERSUS A POLICE RESPONSE. SO I
OFTEN SAY THAT SCALING THE
C.A.R.E. RESPONSE IS THE BEST
FISCAL STRATEGY WE HAVE FOR THE
GENERAL FUND RIGHT NOW. NEXT.
THIS YEAR, WE ARE FOCUSED ON
CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN OUR
LEARNING CULTURE AND PROVOIDING
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO
ENGAGE AND LEARN INSIDE THE CITY
AND OUTSIDE OF IT. WE KNOW WE
WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT AND WILL
GET BETTER OUTCOMES WHEN WE
INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY THAT
LEVERAGING MACHINE LEARNING AND
AUTOMATES PROCESSES. WE'RE
INFORMATION AGO SOT WARE RIGHT
NOW THAT CAN SYNTHESIZE DATA
ACROSS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
SO WE CAN ACTUALLY ARTICULATE
ARE WE GETTING BETTER? ARE WE
GETTING MORE HEALTHY AND MORE
SAFE? JAKE ADAMS, HERE NEXT TO
ME, IS REALLY GREAT AT
OPERATIONAL DESIGN AND
INFORMATION SYSTEMS SO WASTE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH CAPTAIN
BRIT TO ENSURE THAT AS THE RTCC
COMES ONLINE, THERE'S TIGHT
COORDINATION AND INTEGRATION OF
OUR SERVICES. THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS
THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF
ADOPTING OR INVESTIGATING SO IF
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE
AFTER I WILL REFER YOU TO JAKE.
NEXT. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE SEATTLE UNIVERSITY C.A.R.E.
EVALUATION. WHICH I HAVE SEEN A
PREVIEW OF. THAT RESEARCH TEAM
WAS FANTASTIC. AND A HUGE PART
OF THE RESEARCH FOCUS WAS THE
PERCEPTIONS OF UTILITY AND
CONFIDENCE THAT WERE HEADED IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH
DIVERSIFIED RESPONSE AND NOW
WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO STUDY
WAS WHETHER OR NOT I COULD GET
COPS TO PRIORITY 1 CALLS FASTER
WITH THE ADDITION OF C.A.R.E..
BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THAT
BECAUSE THERE'S STILL
INSISTENCE THAT S PD ACCOMPANIES
C.A.R.E. ON CALLS. I FREQUENTLY
HEAR FRUSTRATION THAT THEY'RE
STILL REQUIRED TO DO THIS EVEN
THOUGH THERE'S CLEAR EVIDENCE
THAT THEY ARE NOT NEEDED. I'M
PART OF TWO REALLY GREAT
NATIONAL GROUPS THAT ARE SEEKING
TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING MORE LIKE
A BLUEPRINT IN THE SPACE OF
DIVERSIFIED RESPONSE. ONE IS THE
CAG COMMISSION ON EXPANDING
FIRST RESPONSE. WHICH IS ABOUT
30 COMMISSIONERS FROM DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE SYSTEM PUBLIC
HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND
LEGISLATORS. AND THE OTHER IS
THE GEORGETOWN ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE RESEARCH COLLECTIVE.
WHICH IS COMPRISED OF
PRACTITIONERS IN NINE
JURISDICTIONS WHERE THERE'S
SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM WE COMPARE
NOTES WE'RE TRYING TO COME TO
DON KEN -- CONSENSUS ABOUT
WHATSEEMS TO BE WORKING. I HAVE
BECOME VOCAL ABOUT WHY THEY
PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES
INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM OF
FIRST RESPONSE. THEY NEED TO BE
ON THE RADIO, THE SAME AS POLICE
AND FIRE. COMMUNITY RESPONDERS
NEED TO BE PAID FOR BY GENERAL
FUND DOLLARS TO ELIMINATE THE
FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY AND THE
VOLATILITY OF SHIFTING POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVES. SO IF YOU ARE NOT
REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS
ORDINANCE, 126954 WHICH WAS
SIGNED BY THE MAYOR IN LATE
2023. READ ALL SEVEN PAGES OF
IT. THE COUNCIL'S INTENTIONS
AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEPARTMENT ARE REALLY WELL ASH
TICK -- ARTICULATED. THE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT'S MISSION
IS TO UNIFY AND ALIGN THESE
INTERVENTIONS. PREVENTION,
DIVERSION, INTERVENTION,
REHABILITATION ALL OF THESE
IDEAS ARE INTERTWINED. AND IN MY
OPINION, ALL THREE PUBLIC SAFETY
DEPARTMENTS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY
IN THESE SPACES. IF YOU GO OUT
WITH HEALTH 99 OR WITH C.A.R.E.,
YOU WILL SEE THEM OUTREACHING
IN-BETWEEN CALLS REALLY SERVING
A PREVENTATIVE FUNCTION. AND AN
EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION.
ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY SAFETY,
THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT A YEAR AHEAD
OF US. AND THEY HAVE BUILT A
FULL HEADQUARTERS AND THEIR
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT. THEY
HAVE A THIRD DIVISION THAT IS
VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND
PREVENTION THAT ALREADY HAS 30
PEOPLE AND IN ADDITION TO THEIR
24/7 TEAM OF ACS RESPONDERS. I
THINK THEY HAVE ABOUT 80 FOLKS
AND IN THAT SPACE. I SPOKE WITH
THE DEPUTY LAST WEEK AND I CHECK
IN ALL THE TIME WITH POLICE
CHIEF MEDINA ABOUT THE POSITIVE
IMPACTS. THEIR RESPONDERS HAVE
BEEN TO NEARLY 100,000 CALLS AND
I ACTUALLY RECORDED A
CONGRATULATIONS MESSAGE FOR A
HIGHLIGHT REEL YESTERDAY. THIS
IS AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT
AND SO IT IS NOT TRUE THAT WE
DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE OF EFFICACY
ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. I JUST
PASSED LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION
PROJECT REPORT LEAP. WHICH HAS
THE REALLY SIGNIFICANT DATA
POINTS AND COMMUNITY RESPONDERS
UNITS LIKE C.A.R.E. HAND 89 MORE
THAN 226,000 CALLS ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY LAST YEAR. OVER 55
MILLION AMERICANS NOW LIVE IN A
JURISDICTION WITH A TEAM LIKE
THIS. I BELIEVE THAT OUR BUDGETS
WILL BE SAVED AT OVAL LEVEL OF
GOVERNMENT WHEN WE DO TWO
THINGS. FIRST WE HAVE TO SEND
THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO BEGIN WITH
AND THEN SECOND WE HAVE TO
ACTUALLY DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT
WILL HELP PEOPLE TO CHANGE SO I
WANT TO GO BACK DO MY OPENING
COMMENTS ABOUT WHY THINGS ARE
THE WAY THEY ARE. YOU CAN KILL
THE DECK IF YOU WANT. JUST GOING
TO TALK FOR MINUTE. WHEN I WAS
IN DC RECENTLY, I THOUGHT A LOT
ABOUT THE BIRTH OF THE NATION.
OUR ENLIGHTENMENT ERA THINKING
AND THE PAST FEW MONTHS I HAVE
BEEN AROUND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE CURRENTLY OR FORMERLY
INCARCERATED. AND I HAVE
REALIZED THAT ESSENTIALLY, WE
HAVE NOT COME VERY FAR. WE'RE
STILL TRYING TO SORT PEOPLE INTO
GOOD AND BAD BUCKETS IN THIS
COUNTRY. WE'RE STILL ARRESTING
AND JAILING TO PUNISH RATHER
THAN TO INTERRUPT AND TO
REDIRECT THE BEHAVIOR. AND SO
SOMETIMES I ASK PEOPLE WHY DO WE
THINK IT WAS OKAY TO LEAVE FOLKS
OUT HERE LANGUISHING UNDER
BRIDGES? VISIBLY SUFFERING ON
OUR SIDEWALKS AND ALWAYS ALMOST
THE RESPONSE I GET IS SOMETHING
ABOUT AUTONOMY AND
SELF-DETERMINATION. HOW IS THAT
DIFFERENT THAN OLD BOOT STRAPS
THINKING? WE WILL WAIT FOR YOU
TO MAKE A DIFFERENT CHOICE AND
THEN WE'LL HELP. WE KNOW WAY
TOO MUCH NOW ABOUT THE BRAINS
AND WHAT'S REQUIRED. WHEN I
THINK ABOUT WHICH PEOPLE
COMMITTING CRIMES HAVE A MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUE, I ASSUME IT'S ALL
BECAUSE HEALTHY BRAIN A BALANCED
PERSON DOESN'T MAKE THE CHOICES
TO COMMUNITY. I HAVE A NEW
FRIEND JACOB IN TOWN. HE ASKED
ME A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT TO DO
FOR THE FOLKS IN PRISON WHO HAVE
A TRAUMA PAST. I ASSUME ALL
FOLKS IN PRISON HAVE A TRAUMA
PAST. HE JUMPED UP AND HUGGED ME
AND THANKED ME FOR KNOWING THAT.
SO TO COUNCIL. WHEN YOU ARE
LOOKING AT PROGRAMS THAT YOU ARE
CONSIDERING SUPPORTING, I THINK
THERE'S A REALLY SIMPLE WAY TO
LOOK AT THEM. ARE THEY DESIGNED
TO PREDICTABLY HEAL REDIRECT
SOMEBODY'S LIFE? DO THEY
BALANCE, SUPPORT AND COMPASSION
WITH ACCOUNTABILITY? WE HAVE DO
HAVE BOTH. I HAVE PERSONALLY
NEVER SEEN SOMEONE SUCCESSFULLY
MAINTAIN CHANGE WITHOUT BOTH.
CAUSE AND EFFECT IS IMPERATIVE
TO REPATTERNING BEHAVIOR. NOW
CRIME DOES CORRELATE WITH MENTAL
HEALTH AND SUB DANCE USE INNS SO
WHY WE DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
AND DEMAND CHANGE IN OUR JAILS
AND PRISONS? WHY WOULDN'T A
COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS PLAN BE
MADE? TREAT THE TRAUMA. ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. RIGHT FROM
THE FIRST DAY. I HAVE BECOME
FRIENDS WITH OUR PROSECUTOR LISA
MANON AND SHE DID SAY THAT SHE
SAID REENTRY PLANNING SHOULD
START THERE FROM THE FIRST
MOMENT AND I FULLY SUPPORT THAT.
I DO BELOW IN DIVERSE. AND MY
THEORY IS IF I CAN SEND C.A.R.E.
TO SOMEBODY TO INTERVEINED OF
THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OFFER A
SWIFT PATH ADDRESSING PEOPLE'S
CONCERNS AND NEEDS, THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE WILL SAY YES. AND I
ALSO HEAR REPEATEDLY FROM PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HAD THESE EXPERIENCES
IF I HADN'T BEEN ARRESTED AND
BOOKED I WOULD BE DEAD TODAY AND
I HEAR THAT A LOT AS WELL. IT'S
HARD FOR US TO CHANGE. IT CAN
SEEM IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE LOST EVERYTHING AND NEVER
HAD HOPE TO BEGIN WITH. PEOPLE
RECENTLY DESCRIBE TODAY ME SENSE
OF BECOMING INVISIBLE. ONE
FRIEND SAFE AFTER 13 YEARS OF
HEROIN USE WHEN I WAS A COUPLE
OF WEEKS SOBER. I COULDN'T
BEGIN TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF
MY FAVORITE MEAL. I LOST EVERY
PART OF MYSELF EVEN TO MYSELF. I
RECENTLY VISITED OLYMPIC
CORRECTION CENTER WITH MY
HUSBAND TO OBSERVE A PROGRAM AND
IT'S SHOWING FANTASTIC RESULTS.
ERIC AND I LISTENED AND ONE BY
ONE AS ABOUT 40 MEN STOOD AT A
PODIUM TO SHARE HOW LONG THEY
HAD BEEN INCARCERATED AND WILY
ELECTED AND INTO THE THIS CLASS
AND WHAT THEY HAD PLANNED NEXT
AND THEY ARE ALL WITHIN FIVE
YEARS ORE ENTRY. I KNOW PEOPLE
CAN CHANGE. AND EVEN STILL
SOMETIMES I'M ASTONISHED UP
CLOSE. WE HEARD FROM A MAN WHO
GOT MIXED UP WITH THE HILL TOP
CLIPS WHEN HE MOVED TODAY
WASHINGTON AT 18. HE'S 50
TODAY. MANY MEN EXPRESSED THEIR
DESIRES TO BE GOOD FATHERS AND
GOOD HUSBANDS MOST TALKED AT
VULNERABILITIES. AND LEARNING
HOW TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. I KNEW
STATISTICALLY MOST OF THEM DID
HAVE SOME VICTIMIZATION IN THEIR
PAST AND YET NOBODY MENTIONED
IT. THEY WERE IMPOWERED AND THEY
WERE STRONG AND THEY APPLAUDED
FOR ONE ANOTHER AFTER EVERY
LITTLE SPEECH AND IT WAS AMAZING
FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT HOW THESE
MEN HAD BECOME FRIENDS. PEOPLE I
COULDN'T IMAGINE EVEN BEING IN
THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER.
DIFFERENT FORMER GANG
AFFILIATIONS AND YOU HAD SOME
COWBOYS AND WHY DIVERSITY OF AGE
AND RACE AND POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVES. WE'VE GOT TO
CREATE THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS
CHANGE. I H CONTINUE TO WORK TO
EXPAND FIRST RESPONSE AND GET
THE FIRST RESPONSE RIGHT. TO
TRIAGE CORRECTLY. BUT ULTIMATELY
I WANT THE 911 CALLS TO GO DOWN.
I DON'T WANT TO REARREST OR
REVERSE OVERDOSE ON THE SAME
PERSON AGAIN AND AGAIN AND
AGAIN. IT IS EXPENSIVE AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY IT'S REALLY
INHUMANE. OWNERSHIP GOING TO
CLOSE WITH AN EXCERPT FROM A
DRAFT PERSONAL STATEMENT FROM A
YOUNG WOMAN WHO'S REALLY DEAR
TO ME APPLYING TO MEDICAL
SCHOOL. AND SHE'S FROM A REALLY
SHELTERED COMMUNITY IN THE
MIDWEST. SHE TOOK AN INTERNSHIP
A RESEARCH POSITION AT HAAR BOAR
VIEW AND I WAS A LITTLE ANXIOUS
FOR HER BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT ENVIRONMENT. SHE
WROTE -- EVERY DAY I HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW AND
SPEAK CANDPATIENTS
ABOUT THEIR SUBSTANCE USE AND
HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEM. I
WENT INTO THE POSITION EXPECTING
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW ALL SUB
DANCE JUICERS ALIKE. AND INSTEAD
EVERY DEISMS SURPRISED BY HOW
UNIQUE EACH INDIVIDUAL IS AND
EACH REPLETE WITH ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
AND ATTITUDES, GOALS OR LACK
THEREOF. I LEARNED ALL THE WAYS
IN WHICH THEIR COMMUNITIES
FAILED THEM AND THEY FAILED
THEMSELVES AND I HAVE MET
PATIENTS WHO HAVE LOST
EVERYTHING AND I HAVE MET
PATIENTS WHO LOST EVERYTHING
FIRST THEN USED SUBSTANCES TO
COPE. SOME RECOVER AND SOME DO
NOT. AND EACH PERSON PROVIDES
DEEPER INSIGHT. READING THESE
WORDS THE FIRST TIME BROUGHT
TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE OF THE
MATURITY AND THEHUMANITY THEY
REPRESENT. I WANT TO PUT ASIDE
THE TERRITORY IDEALISM AND
PRIORITIZE PAYING FOR BASIC
HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST IN OUR
BUDGET DEMANDING THE
INTERVENTIONS CLEARLY ADVANCE
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND MEANINGFUL
AND MEASURABLE WAYS IN
INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND WITH THAT
I'M VERY HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF BARDON. FOR
THE RECORD I ALSO WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
NONCOMMITTEE MEMBERS JOINING US
TODAY. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA ON
MY LEFT AND TO MY RIGHT,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US. FOR THE MORNING
COMMITTEE MEETING. NORMALLY AT
THIS POINT, I GO TO THE VICE
CHAIR. BUT OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NEEDS TO LEAVE EARLY SO I'M
GOING TO GIVE THE HONOR OF GOING
FIRST SOUTH COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
SORRY VICE CHAIR. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR KETTLE AND
THANK YOU DR. CHIEF BARDON. VERY
POWERFUL WORDS AND I ALWAYS
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE GOT TO
TELL US. BUT TODAY REALLY DID
HIT HOME SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT
-- YOU ADJUSTED TO THE VENN TOY
GRAM THAT YOU HAVE OFTEN
MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES AND I
SEE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND
THE FENTANYL CRISIS AS THE
CENTER OF A VENN DIAGRAM WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY AND CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS ON EITHER SIDE
LINKED. SO I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOU DRAWING THE
CONNECTIONS AND NOTING THAT --
NOTING THE INHUMANITY OF
EXPECTING PEOPLE TO GET HELP
JUST ON THEIR OWN. WE PUBLIC
HEALTH IS ABOUT TRYING TO CHANGE
BEHAVIOR AND GET PEOPLE THE HELP
THAT THEY NEED. IF THEY ARE NOT
IN A POSITION REALLY TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES. AND
IN A LOT OF THINGS CAN INTERRUPT
THAT ACCESS. HERE'S MY POINT.
YOU MENTIONED THE -- MENTAL --
THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN PIECES THAT
HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON OVERTIME.
AND WHAT I -- AGREE WITH YOU IS
THAT WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE
SYSTEM THAT STARTS WITH C.A.R.E.
RESPONSE. OUTREACH TO PEOPLE
WITH ONGOING ISSUE, STRETTE THAT
ALL THE WAY TO SOBER HOUSING FOR
EXAMPLE. AND THAT DOES NOT EXIST
RIGHT NOW. AND THIS WAS BROUGHT
HOME TO ME ON LAST WEDNESDAY --
LAST MONDAY NIGHT I BELIEVE IT
WAS. WHEN I TOURED, WELL, I WEPT
ON A WALK AT 3rd AVENUE FROM
9:00 TO 10:00 WITH THE DCC THE
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL AND
WE DELIVER C.A.R.E.. AND THEY --
THEY SHOWED ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE
AFTER HOURS WHEN SOME PEOPLE
DON'T SEE. AND I LEARNED A
STORY OF TWO PEOPLE. WE DELIVER
C.A.R.E. STAFF TOLD ME WHICH WAS
TWO PEOPLE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET
INTO THE DETOX AND FAIRLY LONG
TREATMENT. AND THEY GOT OUT AND
THEN THEY WERE BACK ON THE
STREET. AND THEY -- SO THIS IS
WHAT I SEE THE BEGINNING OF YOUR
SUCCESS AS -- AS THE FIRST STEP
OF A VISION TOWARD A SYSTEM THAT
WILL REALLY STOP THE REVOLVING
DOOR AS YOU ALLUDED TO. SO --
I'M ALWAYS OPEN FOR A
CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH. I REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT. I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE
THAT YOU WENT TO WALK ALONG AND
TO SEE PEOPLE. TO SEE THE
SUFFERING. ONE OF THE MOST
INTRIGUING PARTS OF THE WORK IS
THAT WE DO KNOW TO RELAPSE IS
PART OF RECOVERY. IT IS. I
ALWAYS SAY I DON'T KNOW ANYONE
WHO'S JUST IMPROVED IN A
STRAIGHT LINE. RIGHT? WHO'S
CHANGED IN A STRAIGHT LINE. AND
SO ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS IS I SEE
IT IS AGAIN TO TIGHTLY
COORDINATE THE WORK. THERE'S
TRANSPARENCY, IF AN OFFICER
ARRESTS AND THEN REFERS TO L. E.
A. D., WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
PERSON? DO THEY REMAIN IN
TREATMENT? IF THEY POP UP IN THE
CAT AGAIN CAN SIGH QUICKLY, THIS
IS WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN
AND THIS IS THE CASE MANAGER.
THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE. WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT
EVEN COORDINATING THE FIRST
RESPONDERS AND I WOULD SAY
SECONDARY RESPONSE. WE'RE NOT
EVEN NECESSARILY DESIGNED TO
WORK TOGETHER. BUT THAT IS PART
OF OUR TEAM. THAT IS AN
EXTENSION OF THEY HAVE FIRSTHAND
KNOWLEDGE OF LOT OF PEOPLE. AND
REACH AS WELL. THE MID
AMBASSADORS. SO OFTEN WE'RE JUST
GOING DIRECTLY TO SOMEBODY WE
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH. AND
C.A.R.E. RESPONSE IS SAYING HEY,
I HAVE GOT DAVID HERE. WHAT DO
YOU RECOMMEND? SO YEAH. I
APPRECIATE -- I APPRECIATE
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED IN
THIS SPACE. COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. NOW I WILL GO TO OUR
VICE CHAIR. VICE CHAIR SAKA.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I
ACTUALLY DEFER TO OUR OTHER
COLLEAGUE WHO HAS THEIR HAND UP.
FIRST. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU VERY MUCH CHIEF BARDON FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION AND I ACTUALLY
DID TAKE YOUR SUGGESTION AND GO
BACK AND REREAD THE ORDINANCE
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE A LONG
WAY FROM WHAT THE ORDINANCE SETS
FORTH FOR THE MISSION OF
C.A.R.E.. AND SO I JUST -- I
JUST WANT TO ASK YOU KNOW, WALK
ME THROUGH HOW THIS ACTUALLY
WORKS? BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL,
PEOPLE ARE CALLING 911 AND 911
IS NOT BEING -- IS NOT
DISPATCHING C.A.R.E. AND SO I
HAVE STARTED SAYING TO MY
CONSTITUENTS, WHEN YOU CALL 911,
TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE
REQUESTING A C.A.R.E. DISPATCH.
TELL THEM THIS PERSON IS IN
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. RIGHT? IT
SEEMS TO ME THAT IT
SHOULDN'TNECESSARILY BE UP TO
THE CALLER SO HAVE TO IDENTIFY
THAT TRIAGE OUGHT TO BE DONE BY
911. THROUGH VARIOUS
QUESTIONING. SO I DON'T SEE
THAT THAT EFFECTIVE TRIAGE IS
HAPPENING. WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING
OUT THERE, WHO ARE YOU
CONNECTING WITH? RIGHT? I'M NOT
SEEING DCRs BEING CALLED WHEN
CLEARLY NAY KNEAD TO BE CALLED
AND I'M NOT SEEING PEOPLE
GETTING INTO SUBSTANCE USE
TREATMENT WHEN THEY CLEARLY NEED
IT. WE'VE GOT HEALTH 1 OUT
THERE DOING A FAB JUS LOB
GETTING PEOPLE CONNECTED. WE'VE
GOT HEALTH 99 OUT THERE DOING
AMAZING JOB GETTING PEOPLE
STARTED ON THEIR MEDICATION. AND
WE'VE GOT ALL THESE MOBILE ONE
CRISIS VANS OUT THERE LIKE -- I
JUST DON'T SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON THE STREET. AND I HAVE SO
MANY PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AS
YOU WELL KNOW, WHO ARE IN
TREMENDOUS CRISIS. I HAVE SO
MANY PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT WHO
ARE CALLING AND SAYING HOW DO WE
HELP THESE PEOPLE? AND WE HAVE
JUST TREMENDOUS -- WE HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY IN THIS CITY, WE
HAVE ENOUGH SERVICES IN THIS
CITY, TO MAKE IT WORK. AND WHY
IS ALBUQUERQUE I MEAN, THEY'RE
VERY SMALL. THEY MANAGE TO
FIGURE IT OUT. WHY HAVE WE NOT
MANAGED TO FIGURE IT OUT AND I
"THE CROWN" BARGAINING AND
WHEN SPD SAYS THEY'RE UPSET
ABOUT HAVING TO RESPOND. THEY
NEED TO TALK TO THEIR UNION
LEADERSHIP ABOUT THAT. FRANKLY.
BUT PLEASE TELL ME WHY WE'RE
NOT -- YOU HAVE BEEN IN PLACE
NOW FOR A WHILE. WHY ARE WE NOT
DOING A BETTER JOB WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE?
>> YEAH. WELL, AGAIN, I
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU
JUST ELIMINATED THERE. AND I DO
FEEL THE SAME URGENCY. WE HAVE
JUST ADDED IN THE LAST FOUR
WEEKS MORE THAN SIX PONDERS AND
I HAVE HAD SIX PEOPLE AND I
THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE TOO,
IT'S FURLOUGH WORK. RIGHT?
THERE'S FURLOUGH LINES SO THE
MOST EVEN NOW, I JUST CAME TO
NORTH, RIGHT? THE LAST COUPLE OF
WEEKS. I WILL HAVE BETWEEN 12
AND 16 C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS ALL
ACROSS THE CITY. IT IS NOT
ADEQUATE. THE WAY THAT
ALBUQUERQUE SCALED SO FAST,
IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY SIMILAR
ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY STARTED,
THEY WERE DOWN 400 PATROL
OFFICERS. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR.
GETTING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
CRISIS CALLS. THEY'RE IN ALLOY
BAR FORWARD CITY AND THEY HAVE A
STRONG MAJOR AND FORM OF
GOVERNMENT. VERY SIMILAR WHAT
THEY DID THERE. THEY UNDERSTOOD
THEY WERE NOT GOING TO SPEND THE
STAFFING MONEY IN POLICE IN THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE. YOU CAN'T
HIRE UP THAT MUCH. THEY TOOK
SOME OF THE STAFFING SAVINGS AND
MOVED IT OVER TO ALBUQUERQUE
COMMUNITY SAFETY AND SAID HIRE.
SHE WAS THE ONE RUNNING THE
DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME AND SHE
SHARED WITH ME. THERE WAS AN
AGREEMENT AND IF SOME MIRACULOUS
POLICE STAFFING AND SOMETHING
TURNED AROUND AND THEY NEEDED
THE MONEY BACK. THE COUNCIL
PROMISED WE WILL REPLENISH YOUR
BUDGET IF YOU GET THERE BUT IN
THE MEANTIME WE'VE GOT TO SEND
SOMEBODY TO TO THE CALL. THERE
WAS NO DUAL DISPATCH DESIGN
RIGHT AND 911, THEY COULD
DETERMINE THE PROTOCOL IS THIS
LOW ACUITY AND CONSENT BASED AND
SEND THIS OTHER RESPONDERS. AND
IT IS EXTRAORDINARY WHAT THEY'VE
DONE IN THREE YEARS BECAUSE THEY
SCALED QUICKLY. SHE SAID IT WAS
EASY FOR ME TO HIRE THE TRAINING
WAS SHORTER AND I HAVE HAD THE
SAME EXPERIENCE WHEN I OPENED
THOSE C.A.R.E. JOBS THIS WINTER.
I MEAN, I HADN'T EVEN
ADVERTISED THE JOB YET FOR THE
C.A.R.E. RESPONDER. THERE WERE
OVER 200 APPLICATIONS IN THE
FIRST HOUR. I HAVE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE MOVED FROM OLEANDER THE
COUNTRY FOR THESE JOBS. BECAUSE
THEY'RE GOOD JOBS. WE ARE
TREATING THIS LIKE A PROFESSION.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE
COUNCIL IS IF YOU WANT TO SEE
IMPACT TWO THINGS, ONE I NEED TO
BE ABLE TO SEND THE TEAM. SEND
THE TEAM. C.A.R.E. T ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE TEAM. I HAVE 1700 CALLS
THAT WE HAVE CLOSELY ANALYZED I
DON'T NEED POLICE ON THESE
CALLS. I DON'T. AND IF WE GET
IT WRONG AND DISPATCH SOMETIMES
WE SEND FIRE, FIRE APPROACHES
AND REALIZES I NEED LAW
ENFORCEMENT, THEY RADIO THEM AND
C.A.R.E. CAN DO THE SAME THING.
THERE'S NOT A JUSTIFICATION.
AND WE HAVE GOT TO STALE SCALE
THE TEAM. C.A.R.E. IS CONSENT
BASED. THEY DO NOT DO ANYTHING
COERCIVE. WE CANNOT LEGALLY CALL
A DCR OR DO I WANT TO. THAT'S
FOR POLICE. POLICE ONLY CAN CALL
A DCR AND COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
IT HAS BEEN SO FRUSTRATING TO ME
WHEN I GET CALLS FROM COMMUNITY
MEMBERS SAYING I HAVE SEEN EVERY
SINGLE UNIT COME OUT AND THIS
GIRL IS STILL HERE LANGUISHING
AND MULTIPLE TIMES I HAVE THEN
BEGUN OUT MYSELF TO SEE WHAT'S
GOING ON. IF I SENT POLICE AND
FIRE AND C.A.R.E. AND I STILL
HAVE SOMEONE HERE PARTIALLY
CLOTHED IN THE FREEZING COLD,
NEIGHBORS ARE TELLING ME SHE'S
BEING ASSAULTED. IT IS
FRUSTRATING. AND I HAVE WORKED
AROUND THIS SYSTEM MULTIPLE
TIMES. AND OCCASION I'M
THINKING OF I WAS GETTING
REPORTS THAT PERHAPS THIS WAS A
MINOR THE FIRST TILL. I WAS
ABOUT TO LEAVE TOWN. I TOOK THE
FINAL CALL AND THOUGHT JUST SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON IF THIS IS REAL
OR IF PEOPLE ARE EXAGGERATING
AND I SAID C.A.R.E. TEAM COME
WITH ME. AND BRING THE SUPPLIES
AND IT WAS COLD. AND POURING
DOWN RAIN. AND I'M DRESSED IN
MY LITTLE SUIT AND THIS WOMAN IS
PARTIALLY SHE WANT ORLANDO. JUST
-- SHELTERED. I SAT DOWN NEXT TO
HER AND START TALKING TO HER TO
SEE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IS SHE --
DO WE HAVE A COGENT CONVERSATION
HERE, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND I --
TALKED HALF AS FAST AS I USUALLY
DO AND JUST STARTED TALKING TO
HER TO TRY TO ENGAGE HER WHILE
C.A.R.E. IS GIVING ME PROTEIN
SHAKES AND THINGS. I'M NOT
GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE. I CAN
TAKE YOU HERE OR HERE AND WE CAN
TAKE YOU HERE. THESE ARE ARE MY
FRIENDS TALKING AND TALKING AND
SHE'S NOT RESPONSIVE. AND THEN
AT A CERTAIN POINT, I SAID I
LIKE YOUR EARRINGS. AND SUDDENLY
SHE LOOKED AND SHE MADE EYE
CONTACT. AND SHE SAID I MADE
THOSE. AND I THOUGHT OKAY. HERE
WE GO. AND AS I WAS -- SAW MY
C.A.R.E. RESPONDER TEAMMATES
CONFERRING AND ONE OF THEM SAID,
ONE OF THE OFFICERS THAT I KNOW
PRETTY WELL, SHE SAID HE KNOWS
HER. I THINK HE'S PART OF THE
CORESPONSE UNIT AND POLICE AND
HE'S BEEN OUT. AND SO I JUST
CALLED HIM. AND SAID LISTEN, IF
CRT IS AROUND CAN YOU PLEASE
SEND THEM AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT
REALLY APPROPRIATE
PROFESSIONALLY AT ALL RIGHT?
I'M GOING OUTSIDE OF PROTOCOLS.
BUT I SAID WE HAVE GOT TO CALL A
DCR. THIS YOUNG WOMAN IS NOT
OKAY AND I KNOW SHE'S BEING
ASSAULTED BECAUSE AGAIN I HAVE
LEARNED IF YOU ARE A FEMALE
LIVING OUTSIDE, YOU ARE BEING
ASSAULTED. IF YOU ARE 15, IF YOU
ARE 80 IT DOESN'T MATTER I'M
NOT GOING TO LEAVE HER HERE. I
SHARE THAT STORY WITH YOU SO YOU
UNDERSTAND I THINK ABOUT THAT
ALL THE TIME. THOSE OCCASIONS
WHERE THAT'S MY MESSAGE. WE ARE
NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE. AND
WE HAVE GOT TO REDESIGN OUR
SYSTEM SO THAT WE DON'T. YOU
KNOW, VERY OFTEN LAW ENFORCEMENT
I'M SURE THEY WENT OUT AND
THEY'RE LIKE NO LAW IS BEING
BROKEN HERE. THERE'S NOTHING
FOR ME TO DO RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW
WHY THE DCR DIDN'T REFER HER.
SOMETIMES WHEN WE TAKE THAT STEP
SOMEBODY GOES IN VOLUNTARILY AND
THEY WALK BACK OUT AND I'M NOT
REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT
THAT BUT I'M TELLING YOU LIKE
DURHAM AND ALBUQUERQUE AND OTHER
UNITS, IF WE ACTUALLY SCALE IF I
HAD 96 C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS TO
BASICALLY ALLEVIATE THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT BURDEN. THAT'S A
CRITICAL UNIT IN THE CITY.
HEALTH 99 IS MY OVERDOSE
RESPONSE UNIT. THAT'S NOT
C.A.R.E.. WE REVERSE OVERDOSES
BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES IN THE
CITY. WE'RE DESIGNED TO DO THE
CALLS IN THE MIDDLE THAT DON'T
REQUIRE HEALTH ONE AND THEY
DON'T REQUIRE POLICE OR BEN A
COERCIVE INTERVENTION. DID I
ANSWER THE PARTS OF YOUR
QUESTION?
>> NOT REALLY.
>> OKAY.
>> FRANKLY.
>> NEED TO BE ABLE TO DISPATCH
C.A.R.E. WITHOUT POLICE I NEED
MANY MORE C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS --
I PROBABLY HAVE 400,000 CALLS A
YEAR COMING IN THAT WOULD
BENEFIT FROM A C.A.R.E.
RESPONSE. I NEED TREATMENT ON
DEMAND. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.
RIGHT? DETOX ON DEMAND. RIDE
INTO ORCAS CENTER AND INTO
CONNECTIONS. BECAUSE VERY OFTEN,
IF --
>> BUT RESPECTFULLY, YOU HAVE
GOT -- YOU HAVE GOT A CRISIS
CARE CENTER IN KIRKLAND. WHY NOT
TAKING PEOPLE TO THEORY SIS CARE
CENTER IN KIRKLAND? WHY ARE YOU
NOT TAKING PEOPLE TO THE CRISIS
SOLUTIONS CENTER DOWN HERE?
>> YEAH.
>> LIKE THERE'S NOT BEEN A
WILLINGNESS AND THIS -- YOU ARE
IN THE POSITION TO DO THIS. THIS
IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
EMERGENCY. SO IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE
WHO ARE NOT DOING WELL IF YOU
LOOK AT THE VERY LANGUAGE OF THE
ORDINANCE.
>> YEAH.
>> LIKE YOU HAVE TO -- YOU HAVE
TO BE WILLING TO DO THAT. AND
WHEN YOU SAY TO ME YOU ARE NOT
GOING TO CALL A DCR, WHY NOT?
>> BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL. I
CAN'T DO THAT.
>> THEN YOU NEED TO CALL FOR THE
PERSON WHO CAN CALL THE DCR.
>> WE DO IS WHAT I --
>> EXCUSE ME CHIEF BARDON BUT
THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. LIKE
ACROSS THE BOARD, THIS IS NOT
ACCEPTABLE. FOR ALL OF THESE
AGENCIES. I SHARE THIS -- AND
IT'S NOT JUST YOU. I SHARE THIS
FRUSTRATION WITH ALL THE SOCIAL
SERVICE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE OUT
THERE. WE HAVE L. E. A. D. AND
WE HAVE COREACH AND WE HAVE WE
DELIVER C.A.R.E.. WE HAVE -- YOU
KNOW, WE'VE GOT -- I CAN'T
EVEN BEGIN TO NAME ALL OF THE
PEOPLE. AND YET, WE ARE NOT
SEEING ANY CHANGE ON OUR
STREETS. BECAUSE WE CANNOT
COORDINATE AND NOBODY WANTS TO
MAKE THE HARD DECISION.
>> YEAH. I DO WANT TO MAKE THE
HARD DECISIONS.
>> BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING MADE.
I'M NOT SEEING IT BEING MADE ON
MY STREETS. I'M NOT SEEING A
CHANGE IN DISTRICT 5. I
CERTAINLY DID NOT SEE THINGS
HAPPENING DOWN AT PIONEER STREET
WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE AND
IARTICULATED THAT BEFORE.
PLEASE, STOP, SOME TELLING ME
THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. I
KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND
YOU NEED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND THE
COUNCIL IS MORE THAN WILLING TO
HELP YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT
PLEASE DON'T TELL ME IT'S THIS
PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITY OR THAT
PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITY. LIKE
DO WE NEED A TASK FORCE? DO WE
NEED TO BRING EVERYBODY IN AND
SET US DOWN? BECAUSE THIS IS AN
EMERGENCY THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOREVER.
>> YEAH. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I
RESPECT AND APPRECIATE YOUR
URGENCY SO MUCH. I REALLY DO.
WHAT YOU JUST SAID THAT NEVER
FRUSTRATES ME. AND AMBIVALENCE
FRUSTRATES ME AND COMPLACENCY
FRUSTRATES ME AND I AGREE WITH
YOU. WE DO REFER TO THE CSC AND
I ACTUALLY HAD TO GET THAT
CONTRACTUALLY DONE BECAUSE WHEN
I STARTED THIS ONLY POLICE COULD
REFER TO THAT SERVICE.
ORGANIZATION BY ORGANIZATION
WE'VE BEEN MAKING THE ROUNDS
ANDME I REFER CONNECTIONS. IT'S
A CAPACITY ISSUE AND I HAVEN'T
BEEN TO NORTH PRECINCT YET. I
WAS LIMITED UNTIL THIS MONTH. IN
MY ABILITY TO GO INTO THAT
JURISDICTION. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN
THERE. I HAVE HAD THE C.A.R.E.
MANAGER THERE. STUDYING THE
SYSTEM. I KNOW ELIZABETH AT
AURORA COMMONS AND YOU KNOW
THAT. I HAVE BEEN OUT WITH
ANDREA SUAREZ TRYING TO DO
OUTREACH AND GOOD WORK IN NORTH
PREDICT BUT ANY THE RESPONDERS
UNTIL THIS MONTH. I COMPLETELY
AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT IS
DISORGANIZED AND THAT THE SYSTEM
IS NOT EFFECTIVE. I WILL BE
LIMITED IN MY ABILITY TO CHANGE
THAT REALLY MY JOB IS 911 AND
FIRST RESPONSE TRIAGE. BUT YOU
SEE I TOOK MOST OF MY TIME WITH
YOU TODAY TO SOUND THE ALARM
ABOUT TREATMENT. IT IS NOT
THOROUGH ENOUGH OR LONG ENOUGH
TO ACTUALLY CHANGE BEHAVIOR AND
LIVES. WE ARE RETURNING PEOPLE
TO THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS
A RINSE AND REPEAT WHETHER I'M
TALKING ABOUT CRIME OR CRISIS
AND I CAN'T -- ALL I CAN DO IS
KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT. IT'S
NOT MY JOB. I LIKE THE
ORDINANCE. I WANT THE WORK
SIMPLIFIED AND COORDINATED. WE
ARE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT ACTUALLY
AFFECTING POSITIVE CHANGE. AND
SO IT WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST TO
SAY I COULD HAVE ALL THE POLICE
IN THE WORLD AND I COULD HAVE
1,000 C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS, AND
YET IF WE ARE REFERRING TO A
SERVICE WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO
BE IN-PATIENT FOR 14 DAYS YOU
ARE NOT REALLY GOING TO GET
CHANGED. THE CITY IS NOT GOING
TO LOOK DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT
I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK
REALLY STRIDENTLY ABOUT FENTANYL
WHEN I ARRIVED BECAUSE I
UNDERSTOOD THAT WE ARE --
SETTING UP A SYSTEM TO RESPOND
TO A DRUG THAT'S LETHAL. THAT
100% OVERRIDES YOUR ABILITY TO
MAKE THE BEST CHOICE FOR
YOURSELF. WE'RE TREATING IT
LIKE CHISM. DISH ALCOHOLISM. AND
-- ALCOHOLISM. YOU HEARD ME
SHARE THE STATS, FOUR PEOPLE A
DAY. NORTH IS ABSOLUTELY A
PRIORITY FOR ME. I'M GOING
PROBABLY TWO OR FOUR PEOPLE
THERE AT TIME UNTIL I CAN HAIR
MORE THAN 24 IT'S NOT ADEQUATE.
>> RIGHT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT THIS TALKS ABOUT IN THE
ORDINANCE IS TO PROVIDE DIVERSE
IFED COMMUNITY FOCUS RESPONSE.
>> YEAH.
>> EXCUSE ME, 911 CALLS AND ALSO
TO CONNECT WITH THE SERVICE
PROVIDERS. LIKE -- WE HAVE A
GAZILLION SERVICE PROVIDERS. WHY
ARE ARE THOSE CONNECTIONS NOT
BEING MADE? AND ALSO I JUST
RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH YOU.
THAT SENDING SOMEBODY TO
TREATMENT FOR 14 DAYS IS A WASTE
OF TIME. BECAUSE YOU KNOW AS
WELL AS I DO THAT OFFER TAKES
MANY OPPORTUNITIES AT TREATMENT
BEFORE IT STICKS AND SO EVERY
OPPORTUNITY IS ONE MORE DOWN THE
ROAD TO HOPEFULLY FIGURING OUT
THE SOLUTION THAT'S GOING TO
WORK FOR THAT PERSON. AND WE
HAVE GOT THAT TREATMENT. WE'VE
GOT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL WHERE
IT'S BEING UNDERUTILIZED.
>> I KNOW. THANK YOU FOR THE
POINT ABOUT THE 14 DAYS. WHAT I
SHOULD SAY IS THAT EVERYBODY'S
DIFFERENT. AND SO WE NEED TO --
A LOT OF IT I MEAN YOU GET INTO
REIMBURSEMENT MODEL AND THING
LAKE THAT. THE SYSTEM IS SO
POORLY DESIGNED RIGHT NOW. THINK
IN SEATTLE WE DO PRIORITIZE
AUTONOMY. CIVIL LITERALLIS ABOVE
ALL ELSE. WE REALLY DO. SO I
TALKED TO JUDGES ABOUT THAT AND
PUBLIC DEFENDERS. AND MOST DAYS
IN 911, WE SEE SOMEBODY LOSE
THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
REFERRED INTO TREATMENT OR THEY
WERE FOR A MINUTE AND CAME RIGHT
BACK OUT AND SOMEBODY IS WHAT
HAPPENEDDERING IN TRAFFIC
MULTIERING THERE'S
THE BALLARD BRIDGE THAT REALLY
UPSET ME. WE SENT A PATROL
OFFICER WHO MADE SURE THE PERSON
WAS ON THE SIDEWALK. NO LAW IS
BEING BROKEN. AND YOU KNOW, AN
HOUR OR TWO LATER THE PERSON IS
DECEASED AND HEAD SPLIT OPEN ON
THE BRIDGE. THE OFFICERS ARE ARE
THE ONES THAT REFER TO TREATMENT
AND I'M SAYING DON'T THINK
ABOUT THIS SO PRESCRIPTIVELY IN
TERMS OF IS THE LAW BEING
BROKEN. I TALKED ABOUT GRAVELY
DISABLED AND WE HAVE TALKED AD
ABOUT THAT. I SAID YOUR BROTHER
WANDERING ON THIS BRIDGE, WHAT
WOULD DO YOU? AND SO OFTEN I GET
LIKE YOU KNOW, THE DRC IS NOT
GOING TO COME AND DO ANYTHING.
ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF THE
SYSTEM AND MY MESSAGE IS DO YOUR
PART. FOR EVERY ONE OF US IN THE
SYSTEM DO YOUR PART EXPERTLY AND
911 GET THAT FIRST CALL RIGHT.
WE KNOW WE CANNOT CONTROL WHAT
HAPPENS WITH ALL THESE OTHER
PROVIDERS AND THINGS. BUT AGAIN,
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. I
CARE DEEPLY ABOUT PEOPLE AND IT
DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE WAY THAT
IT IS. IT -- I HAD THAT SLIDE
AND IT IS DEFINED TO FAIL
PEOPLE. I HAVE TO HAVE AUTONOMY
TO DISPATCH SWIFTLY FROM 911 THE
RIGHT RESPONSE. I DON'T
DIRECTLY DISPATCH HEALTH ONE OR
HEALTH 99. I DON'T DIRECTLY
DISPATCH THE CS. THEY DON'T
REALLY HAVE BODY OF WORK THAT'S
ARTICULATED. SO THERE'S ALL THE
DIFFERENT UNITS WHERE IF WE
WOULD ORGANIZE OURSELVES AND GET
SQUARED WITH LABOR JUST SEND
THAT RESPONSE. AND AGAIN, BE
ABLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.
SO -- THANK YOU. SINCERELY.
>> NO. THANK YOU. AND I REALIZE
THAT I HAVE -- BEEN VERY DIRECT
AND A LITTLE BIT FIRM. AND BUT I
REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING
THAT YOU ARE DOING. AND I KNOW
YOUR HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE
AND YOUR HEAD IS IN THE RIGHT
PLACE AND IT'S A VERY, VERY
BROKEN SYSTEM. AND I THINK WE
NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS -- AS
LEGISLATORS AND MAYOR'S OFFICE
TOO, IT'S A BROKEN SYSTEM. AND
WE HAVE TO FIX IT. AND JUST --
CREATING ONE MORE SOCIAL, YOU
KNOW, NONPROFIT AGENCY AND, YOU
KNOW, ANOTHER $100 MILLION THERE
IS NOT GOING TO FIX IT. IF WE
DON'T COME TOGETHER
HOLISTICALLY AND TALK ABOUT HOW
IT'S -- BROKEN. BE HONEST ABOUT
WHERE IT'S NOT WORKING. AND THE
FACT THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT
IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS ABOUT WHAT
SHOULD BE HAPPENING AND WE NEED
TO BE EVIDENCE BASED AND BE
PREPARED TO SAY SOMETIMES IT'S
-- YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES DO YOU
KNOW GOOD IF YOU ARE DEAD. BUT
ANYWAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR WORK.
>> WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE
YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THE
CANDOR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. TRUST ME, WE WILL BE
FIXING ELEMENTS OF THIS FOR
SURE. NOW OVER TO MY VICE CHAIR.
NUMBER THREE TODAY. NORMALLY
NUMBER ONE. BUT NUMBER THREE
TODAY. COUNCILMEMBER VICE CHAIR
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. AND
THANK YOU CHIEF BARDON. WANT TO
THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT WHO ARE HERE
WITH US TODAY. IT IS -- WHEN WE
HAVE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND
OCCASIONALLY DIVISION HEADS
HERE, COUNCIL CHAMBER, RARELY DO
WE GET, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND SO JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY THANK
THE TEAM HERE. YOUR WORK IS
IMPORTANT. YOUR YORK IS VALUED.
YOUR WORK IS GREATLY
APPRECIATED. AND I HAD THE
PLEASURE OF GOING -- DOING A 911
CALL CENTER TOURING DOING A RIDE
ALONG ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK
YOU CALL IT A RIDE ALONG
TECHNICALLY. LIKE -- BUT WALKING
AND TOURING AND DRIVING WITH
SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT DO THE
WORK ON ADAILY BASIS AND IT'S
VERY CLEAR POLICY AND DECISION
MAKERS AT THE DAIS, THE COUNCIL,
THINK OF MAYOR'S OFFICE EVEN,
ARE VERYIMPATIENT. FOR THAT I
MAKE NO APOLOGIES. I'M IMPATIENT
TOO. BUT THAT DOESN'T -- AT THE
SAME TIME -- MEAN THAT YOUR WORK
IS NOT APPRECIATED. AND YOUR
WORK IS NOT VALUED. AND YOUR
WORK IS NOT IMPORTANT. BECAUSE
IT IS. AND I KNOW CHIEF BARDON,
YOU SHARE THE SENSE OF URGENCY
IN PATIENTS AND I KNOW YOU DO
CARE. I AM EAGER TO WORK WITH
YOU. MY COLLEAGUES AND THE
MAYOR, TO CHANNEL OUR SHARED
FRUSTRATION AND SHARED SENSE OF
URGENCY INTO ACTUALLY ACHIEVING
BETTER RESULTS FOR THIS BECAUSE
I FEAR THIS GREAT PROGRAM -- I
TOO READ THE ORDINANCE. THANK
YOU FOR THE CHALLENGE. CHALLENGE
ACCEPTED. I DO -- AGREE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE. THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE THE GAP
BETWEEN GOALS AND THE VISIONS
SET FORTH IN THE LEGISLATIVE
DOCUMENT. AND EVERYDAY
EXPERIENCE OF AND EXPECTATIONS
OF TAXPAYERS AND PEOPLE
SUFFERING AND NEEDING IN CRISIS.
AND PART OF THAT VIEW IS SHAPED
BY -- MANY FACTORS. CONSTITUENT
QUERIES, CONCERNS, MY OWN
EXPERIENCES HAVING TAKEN THAT
RIDE ALONG RECENTLY IN THE
SUMMER, OR WHATEVER IT'S
CALLED. HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
DRIVE AND THEN WALK CERTAIN
CORRIDOR AND DOWNTOWN. GREAT
OPPORTUNITY. AMAZING, DEDICATED
GROUP OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL
WORKERS WHO ARE WELL POSITIONED
IF THEY'RE ABLE TO, WE FIX SOME
OF THE SYSTEM ISSUES TO DO SOME
EXCELLENT WORK. BUT I WAS STRUCK
-- SO I WAS STRUCK BY COUPLE OF
THINGS. THAT LEVEL OF DEDICATION
AND COMMITMENT OF THE -- WORKERS
AND THE C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT THAT
WE DO HAVE AND THEN ONE
PARTICULAR INSTANCE REALLY
STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME AS WELL.
WALKING DOWNTOWN, TURN THE
CORNER OF THAT McDONALD'S. WE
ALL KNOW THAT McDONALD'S. AND
THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN ON THE
STREET, ON THE SIDEWALK HALF
CLOTHED. PANTS HALFWAY OFF.
BOTTOM CHEEK ALL OUT. IN CRISIS.
UTTERING SOMETHING, HE WAS NOT
REALLY BOTHERING ANYBODY. BUT
VISIBLY IN CRISIS. AND THE
C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT. I SAW THEIR
INVENTORY AND THEY HAVE LIKE
SOCKS AND GLOVES AND SNACKS AND
PRINGLES AND CHIPS AND ALL THESE
KIND OF GREAT THINGS. AND WE
ENDED UP LOOKING AT THIS
GENTLEMAN AND WALKING RIGHT BY
HIM. AND THE REASON WHY IS
BECAUSE I LEARNED IS BECAUSE
UNDER THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT,
CAN'T THE THAT. YOU CAN'T
PROACTIVELY INTERVENE IN A CASE
LIKE THAT. CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT
A -- POLICE OFFICER. AND I'M
THINKING TO MYSELF, IF ANYONE
NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE COMPASSION,
SOME PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT, A
PACK OF OPARINFULS, WHATEVER IT
IS. IT'S THE MAN IN CRISIS WITH
HIS BOTTOM CHEEK ALL OUT. AND SO
-- I'M CONCERNED THAT, YOU
KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT IS BECOMING
MORE OF A PAPER TIGER THAN
ACTUALLY ACHIEVING ITS INTENDED
GOAL AND VISION THAT WE ALL
STRIVE FOR. WE ALL SHARE AS
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE NOTED, WE
HAVE A LOT OF EXCELLENT PROGRAMS
AND SERVICES TODAY. AND
ABUNDANCE AT THE CITY OF SEATTLE
GOVERNMENT LEVEL, NONPROFITS,
COUNTY GOVERNMENT, A LOT OF -- A
LOT OF RESOURCES. I WOULD
ACTUALLY SAY WE HAVE AN
ABUNDANCE OF SERVICES AND A
DERTH OF RESULTS. AND SO AGAIN,
WE'RE ALL ALIGNED AND WE'RE
ALL IMPATIENT AND WE'RE ALL
COMMITTED. AND BY THE WAY THAT
ANECDOTE I SHARED WITH YOU
EARLIER. THAT'S AN IDENTICAL
EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED
EARLIER. PEOPLE LANGUISHING AND
VISIBLY SUFFERING ON OUR
SIDEWALKS AND NEED SUPPORT AND
COMPASSION. THOSE ARE YOUR
WORDS. NOT MINE. I AGREE WITH
THEM. BUT IN ANY EVENT, AND -- I
THINK PART OF THE BARRIER IS
THAT THERE WAS THIS -- NEEDLESS
INSISTENCE THAT SPD ACCOMPANY
C.A.R.E. RESPONDERS TO
EVERYTHING. I APPLAUD I THINK
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT AND THE
STATE HOUSE PROPOSING A BILL TO
HELP PROVIDE RELIEF. BUT WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE OTHEBARRIERS TO
THE C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT
ACHIEVING BETTER RESULTS?
THAT'S A KNOWN ONE. KIND OF
DOCUMENTED ONE. WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE OTHER BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING
BETTER RESULTS AND I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT EXPANSION AND
SCALING THE DEPARTMENT. I SHARE
THAT GOAL. AND I SHARE WITH YOU
PRIVATELY AND IT'S MY GOAL
PUBLICLY AS WELL IS I WANT TO
HELP GROW, EXPAND AND SCALE THIS
DEPARTMENT SO IT'S 24/7 AND
365. O RATION. NO DIFFERENT THAN
POLICE OR FIRE OR PEOPLE CALL
AND NEED THIS KIND OF RESPONSE
THOUGH. THEY CAN EXPECT TO
RECEIVE IT. BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE
-- I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD BE
VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT E EXPANDING
A PROGRAM WITH THE SYSTEM FLAWS
AND INEFFICIENCIES THAT ARE IN
EXISTENCE TODAY. SO I KNOW THERE
ARE CURRENT PLANS TO EXPAND AND
I THINK AFTER THAT, AFTER THE
MOST NEAR TERM EXPANSION,
PERSONALLY I THINK WE SHOULD
PAUSE ON OUR EXPANSIONS UNTIL
UNLESS AND UNTIL WE CAN BETTER
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS'
INEFFICIENCIES. BECAUSE WE
SHOULDN'T -- WE SHOULDN'T
SCALE A PROGRAM THAT ISN'T
EQUIPPED TO WORK. WE NEED TO
SCALE A PROGRAM THAT IS STARTING
TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. BETTER
RESULTS. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
OTHER BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING
BETTER RESULTS?
>> WILL, LET ME FIRST ADDRESS
THE ENCOUNTER THAT YOU HAD LAST
SUMMER. COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
ALSO HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. I
DISAGREE WITH THE WAY THE MOU
WAS INTERPRETED AND YOU KNOW
SORT OF THE LABOR CONVERSATION.
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE GOT KING
COUNTY MCTA AND TEAMS ALL OVER
THE PLACE. DOING OUTREACH WORK.
PROACTIVELY. AND THERE'S NO
BARGAINING ISSUE THERE. RIGHT?
SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENT TO ME.
THIS IS NOT POLICE BODY OF WORK
OUTREACH WORK AND NEVER HAS BEEN
AND IT IS NOT. THAT NOT THEIR
BODY OF WORK AND WE CAN DO IT. I
FELT VERY CONFIDENT SAYING OKAY.
YOU KNOW, IF I GET SUED I GET
SUED ANDON THAT THIS IS PART OF
POLICE BODY OF WORK. AND NOTHING
SHOULD PRECLUDE C.A.R.E. FROM
BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE
FOLKS WHO WERE IN DISTRESS AND
YOU LOOK AT THE DATA YOU SEE
ABRUPT UPTICK BECAUSE I SAID GO.
IF SOMEBODY IS IN DISTRESS, AND
YOU KNOW THAT NATURALLY THE
RESPONDER WOULD BE A TEAM LIKE
REACH WITH THE MID AMBASSADORS
OR WE DELIVER C.A.R.E. DO THAT
WORK. SEE IF YOU CAN CONNECT
THEM TO SERVICES. MY CONTENTION
GOING BACK TO THE DRUG DIVERSION
MODEL. IF I SENT C.A.R.E. FIRST,
THINK ABOUT OPEN USE RIGHT?
SOMEBODY ISWRECKING A
LAW. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE ON THE
BOOKS. IF I SENT C.A.R.E. OUT
FIRST TO SAY COME WITH US. THIS
IS NOT LAWFUL AND WE CAN GET YOU
DETOX AND GET YOU HELP AND
ADDRESS ALL THE DIFFERENT
CONSIDERATIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
BUT THE NEXT CALL IS GOING TO BE
SPD. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE GET
THESE THINGS IN THE RIGHT ORDER,
A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY YES.
JUST LIKE THEY DO IN DRUG COURT.
EVERY GRADUATE I KNOW HAS SAID I
WOULD NEVER HAVE ELECTED INTO
THAT SERVICE. I WAS AN ADDICT.
DEEP INTO THE CYCLE BUT I KNEW I
HAD A SENTENCE HANGING OVER MY
HEAD AND BASICALLY GOING TO
BCOMPEL TODAY CHANGE ONE WAY OR
THE OTHER. IN FIRST RESPONSE WE
SHOULD DO IT THAT WAY. SEND
C.A.R.E. FIRST BUT A VERY QUICK
SECONDARY RESPONSE IF WE CANNOT
GET TO YES THROUGH CONSENT IF
THAT MAKES SENSE. ONLY 24
RESPONDERS THE SYSTEM WOULD LOOK
DIFFERENTLY TO DO IT THAT WAY.
THIS MOU NEEDS TO -- GET
ADDRESSED AND JUST DOES. IT'S
INEFFICIENT AND I NEED TO --
OUTSIDE OF THE C.A.R.E.
RESPONSE, I'M NOT GETTING
OFFICERS TO PRIORITY 1 AND UNDER
TEN MINUTES. THAT'S
CATASTROPHIC. AND EVERY TIME
SOMETHING GOES WRONG THERE'S
COLLECTIVE AIM PACT YOU KNOW,
THE HOMICIDES, THERE'S IMPACT.
THERE'S GRIEF AND A COMMUNITY.
THERE'S RIPPLES ACROSS
FAMILIES. AND ACROSS
NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE HAVE GOT
ADDRESS THIS. SO I REFERENCE
THAT IN THIS STUDY I SAID FROM
THE JUMP THAT'S MY PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY. IS THAT PRIORITY
1 STATUS. C.A.R.E. IS GETTING TO
CALLS IN 11 MINUTES. AND AGAIN,
THIS MAKES ME SAD BECAUSE THIS
IS PRIORITY 3. THIS IS NOT AN
EMERGENCY BY THAT DEFINITION.
AND I'M ACTUALLY MORE
EXPEDITIOUS EVEN WITH ONLY A FEW
FOLKS, WITH C.A.R.E. THAN WITH
POLICE. SO --
>> THANK YOU. ABUNDANCE OF
SERVICES, DERTH OF RESULTS. DO
WE NEED FOR SERVICES?
ABSOLUTELY. BUT NOW MORE THAN
EVER WE ALSO NEED MORE RESULTS.
SO.
>> I AGREE THAT THERE'S
CAPACITY IN THE SYSTEM THAT
WE'RE NOT USING. AGAIN, BACK TO
RICKY'S LAW. BACK TO THE DCRs.
I THINK THE "SEATTLE TIMES" HAS
DONE A GOOD JOB ILLUMINATING THE
ISSUES. WE OPENED UDUB
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL.
NOBODY IS THERE. THE FIRST TIME
I SPEAK TO THE WOMAN AT THE
COUNTY WHO HAS OVERSIGHT OF
THOSE RICKY'S LAW BEDS, SECEDE
NOBODY FROM SEATTLE USES THESE
AND I SAID WHY? CITY BLOCK I
NEED THESE BEDS. RIGHT? AND SO
AGAIN, THAT IS -- DISCONNECTING
SPD AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS
BUT I THINK THAT I'M TALKING
ABOUT IT MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
I AM NOT ALLOWING MYSELF TO
BECOME DESENSITIZED TO THE
SUFFERING AND THE DEATH THAT'S
AVOIDABLE EVERY DAY. CONVERSELY
KEEP MYSELF IN IT. SO I REMEMBER
THAT THIS IS SOMEBODY'S PERSON
AND WE ARE FAILING.
>> THERE'S MANY REASONS TO THAT
POINT. BUT -- COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK
YOU CHIEF BARDON AND C.A.R.E.
TEAM FOR BEING HERE. I ECHO
SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA AND
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE IN
EXPRESSING MY GRATITUDE FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. I WILL SAY
CHIEF BARDON, I HAVE HEARD
INCONSISTENT COMMUNICATIONS
ABOUT THIS PIECE C.A.R.E.'S NOT
SENDING FOLKS OR THEY ARE
SENDING FOLKS ON THEIR OWN. I
DON'T WANT TO HEAR INSEPTEMBERS
EITHER. WE ARE SENDING C.A.R.E.
FOLKS ON THEIR OWN OR WE'RE NOT.
THAT PIECE REALLY NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED TO GET THE
CONSISTENCY.
>> IN THE MOU, THERE'S LANGUAGE
THAT SUGGESTS S PD CAN TURN THE
CALL OVER TO C.A.R.E.. IT
DOESN'T SAY HOW. THAT DOES
STILL HAPPEN. IT'S A HIGH
UTILIZER AND IS A SERGEANT WILL
SAY C.A.R.E., TAKE IT. THAT'S
HAPPENING PROGRESSIVELY. AGAIN,
SERGEANTS DON'T ALL FEEL AT
LIBERTY TO DO THAT. BECAUSE OF
THEIR MEMBERSHIP. AND SOME DAO.
YOU KNOW, SO WHERE THE HIGH
UTILIZERS I CONTINUE TO STRESS
THAT I HAVE HAD GREAT PARTNERS
IN POLICE COMMAND WHO HAVE SAID
PLEASE JUST TURN THE CALL OVER
AND LET THEM GO DIRECTLY AND
THAT DOES HAPPEN MORE AND MORE
AND MORE. SO THAT'S WHY THE
CONTRADICTION.
>> CLEARLY WE NEED TO GET THAT
FIGURED OUT. I WILL SAY THAT YOU
KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING
YOU HAVE COMPASSION AND CARE
YOUR TEAM OBVIOUSLY HAVE THAT. I
HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT FIRSTHAND.
IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AS
YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I
PRIORITIZED TO DO WAS TO VISIT
C.A.R.E.. AND GO ON A RIDE WITH
YOU ALL. AND I APPRECIATED THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. SO I
COULD SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT YOU ALL
WERE DEALING WITH. AND I WILL
SAY THAT I SHARE THE SENTIMENT
OF COMPASSION AND CARING. AS YOU
HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES HERE AND COMPASSION
AND CARING IS NOT IN AND OF
ITSELF SUFFICIENT. WE ACTUALLY
NEED ACTION AND WE ARE REALLY
SORELY LACKING ON THE ACTION
PART. AND I WILL SAY THAT I AM
READING FROM THE ORDINANCE
BECAUSE WE KEEP REFERRING TO IT.
SO I'M GOING TO QUOTE FOR THE
ORDINANCE IN TERMS OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF C.A.R.E..
CREATE A NEW INITIATIVE TO
INTEGRATE THE CITY'S VIOLENCE
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, USING
RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE STRATEGIES
TO REDUCE VIOLENCE, INCLUDING
IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC MEASURABLE
AND OUTCOMES. THIS INITIATIVE
WILL FOCUS INITIALLY ON GUN
VIOLENCE PREVENTION
INTERVENTIONS AND COMMUNITY
BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND
INCLUDING VIOLENCE INTERRUPTORS.
YOUTH -- PROGRAMS AND EVIDENCE
BASED AND THE THING I REALLY
WANTED TO GET TO IN TERMS OF
C.A.R.E. IS PROVIDE TIMELY,
ACCURATE AND VITAL INFORMATION
TO THE CITY'S FIRST RESPONDERS.
THE C.A.R.E. DEPARTMENT'S
MISSION IS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND
SAFETY SERVICES BY UNIFYING AND
ALIGNING THE CITY'S COMMUNITY
FOCUS NONPOLICE PUBLIC SAFETY
INVESTMENTS AND SERVICES TO
ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ABUSE,
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND NONEMERGENT
LOW RISK CALLS FOR SERVICE
THROUGH DIVERSIFIED PROGRAMMED
THAT ARE EQUITABLE AND
INNOVATIVE EVIDENCE BASED ET
CETERA. SO THIS PIECE ABOUT
UNIFYING C.A.R.E.'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO UNIFY AND
ALIGN THE CITY'S COMMUNITY
FOCUS NONPOLICE PUBLIC SAFETY
AND INVESTMENTS AND SERVICES TO
ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ABUSE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND NONEMERGENT
CALLS FOR SERVICE TO DIVERSIFIED
PROGRAMS IS THE CALL TO
C.A.R.E.. AND SO IT'S NOT JUST
ANSWERING THE CALLS. IT'S
UNIFYING AND COORDINATING AND
THAT INCLUDES SOMEWHERE LOWER IN
THIS AND I WON'T KEEP READING
IT. IT TALKS ABOUT COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
>> RIGHT.
>> I'M NOT SEEING C.A.R.E.
DOING THAT. BEING THAT
COORDINATOR AND UNIFYING OF THE
CITY SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS
RELATED TO CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE. SO THAT'S WHAT'S MISSING
FROM THE WORK THAT YOU ARE
CURRENTLY DOING. AND THAT IS
DIRECTLY IN YOUR MANDATE AND I
WANT TO KNOW WHY. BECAUSE I
THINK WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM
ALL OF US UP HERE IS THAT WE ARE
-- WE HAVE HUGE INVESTMENTS IN
THE CITY AND ALL THESE AREAS.
AND FOLKS ARE NOT GETTING ACCESS
TO THESE SERVICES SO WHERE IS
THE DISCONNECT HERE AND WHAT IS
C.A.R.E. DOING IN TERMS OF
COORDINATING THAT RESPONSE
BETWEEN THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE
TO THE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CRISIS --
RESPONSE CALLS? [ CAPTIONERS
TRANSITIONING ]
I WAS PART OF THIS DEBATE OF
THIS DISCUSSION. AND I CONFER
WITH ANYBODY WHO ASKED TO TALK
TO ME. I TALKED ABOUT THESE
THINGS. WHEN YOU GO OUT WITH
DIFFERENT OUTREACH TEAMS. IT IS
NOT JUST CITY AND COUNTY
RESOURCES. IT IS THE UGM. AND
SALVATION ARMY. WE HAVE
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE ARE
EIGHT TEAMS AND NO RESULTS AND
THEN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE
IS NOBODY. I HAVE STRESSED THE
URGENCY THAT WE HAVE GOT TO GET
MORE EXPEDITIOUS IN THE WAY WE
ORGANIZE THE WORK. I HAVE NOT
BEEN ENDORSED TO DO THAT PART OF
THE WORK YET. I WAS TOLD ABOUT
15 MONTHS ABOUT IT. I WAS GETING
TO KNOW PEOPLE. I THINK I
PROBABLY KNOW THE SYSTEM BETTER
THAN MOST. I GO OUT WITH ALL THE
NON-PROFITS. I AM TRYING TO
IDENTIFY WHERE ARE THE GAPS AND
IT DOES HAPPEN ALMOST EVERY DAY.
WE WILL OUTREACH SOMEONE AND
THEY WILL HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE
AND I THINK I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE
TO TAKE THIS PERSON. I'M ON THE
YOUTH CARE BOARD. SO I KNOW A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE LACK
OF YOUTH RESOURCES. I'M
STARTING TO GET THIS ECO SYSTEM
DRAFTED OUT. I'M DOING THAT
JUST AS A PERSON. I HAVE ALSO
BEEN TOLD NOW YOUR JOB IS 911.
YOUR JOB IS FIRST RESPONSE. DO
THAT AND SET UP THE CARE PILOT.
THAT'S YOUR JOB. I DON'T MEAN
FROM ANY ONE PERSON. I GET THAT
ALL OVER THE PLACE. I'M SAYING
YEAH, THAT IS MY CORE FUNCTION.
BUT MY JOB IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
SAFETY. AND I THINK PUBLIC
SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH ARE THE
SAME THING. SO ABOUT 15 MONTHS
AGO, WHEN THERE FIRST START
TODAY BE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT
MOVING THE LEAD CONTRACTS WHICH
I DID NOT THINK WAS A BAD IDEA,
I DO THINK I'M THE DIVERSION
DEPARTMENT. FUNDAMENTALLY, CARE
IS A DIVERSE RESOURCE. CAN I
SEND SOMEONE INSTEAD OF POLICE?
IT IS MORE LIKELY TO GET BETTER
RESULTS AS A DIFFERENT STILL
SKILL SET. IT MADE SENSE TO ME I
WOULD WRITE OFF TO THE NEXT
RESOURCE. IT IS OFTEN A PEER
THAT CAN GET TO YES. SO THAT WAS
THE VISION I HAD AND WHAT I WAS
TOLD. THIS IS FROM THE DEPUTY
MAYOR BURGESS. HE SAID YOU
DON'T HAVE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON
MORE THAN YOU ARE ALREADY
TAKING. AND SO I RESPECTED THAT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS. DOING
THIS AUDIT. IT IS HAPPENING WITH
THE EXECUTIVE BUT NOT WITH ME. I
HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY TRUSTING
OTHER PEOPLE DOING THIS AUDIT
AND ASSESSMENT BUT I HAVE NOT
BEEN GIVEN LICENSE. OTHER THAN
JUST ORGANICALLY AS A PERSON
FIGURING OUT WHO IS DOING WHAT.
>> THANK YOU, THAT IS HELPFUL
INFORMATION TO KNOW. AND ALSO,
CHIEF BARDEN, IT IS VERY
SQUARELY ONE OF THE MAIN PIECES
IN THE ORDINANCE YOU REFERRED TO
US EARLIER AND IT WASN'T WRONG
FOR YOU TO REFER US TO THE
ORDINANCE. I WAS NOT HERE WHEN
THIS ORDINANCE PASSED SO IT IS
GOOD FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT'S IN
HERE AND I VERY SQUARELY KNOW
THAT THE MISSION, PART OF THE
MISSION OF CARE IS TO DO THAT
UNIFYING AND ALIGNMENT OF THE
CITY'S NON-POLICE PUBLIC SAFETY
INVESTMENTS AND THAT IS NOT
HAPPENING. THIS A HUGE PIECE OF
THE WORK. WE ARE ALL FEELING
LIKE IT IS A DISJOINTED AND
FRACTURED SYSTEM AND NOT
WORKING. THAT'S A HUGE PIECE OF
IT AND WHAT I OBSERVED FROM MY
RIDE ALONG WITH CARE IS CARE
RESPONDERS NOT BEING ABLE TO
RESPOND BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
THERE WITH POLICE BUT EVEN WHEN
THEY DID BECAUSE A COMMUNITY
MEMBER FLAGGED THEM DOWN, HEY,
DON'T YOU SEE THAT PERSON IN
NEED? THEY DIDN'T CALL THE
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE
DISCONNECT IS. WE NEED TO FIGURE
THAT OUT. AND I FEEL LIKE WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR
A YEAR SO WHAT IS NEEDED TO
FIGURE THAT OUT AND I SEE YOU
SQUARELY AS THE MAIN PERSON TO
IDENTIFY WHAT IS NEEDED. WE
CAN'T TALK ABOUT EXPANDING
SOMETHING THAT IS NOT WORKING.
>> RESPECTFULLY, I WILL STILL
SEND A RESPOND TO ALL OF THESE
CALLS. TO POLICE INSTEAD OF
CARE. IF CARE RESPONDERS ARE
GONE TOMORROW, IF THEY ARE GONE
TOMORROW, I WILL SEND POLICE AND
I WILL KEEP OVER POLICING SOCIAL
ISSUES IN THE CITY. I DO REJECT
THE NOTION THERE IS NOT VALIDITY
TO SENDING A DIFFERENT
PROFESSIONAL TO CALLS THAT DO
NOT AT ALL INVOLVE LAW
ENFORCEMENT. THAT PREDATES YOU.
BUT THERE WAS A STUDY
COMMISSIONED BY NICK JR. , THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES FOR CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM LOOKING AT
SEATTLE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND
911. 1.2MILLION CALLS. THIS WAS
PUBLISHED IN 2021. 80% HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. 6%
WERE FOUND TO HAVE SOME CRIMINAL
IMPLICATION. YOU KNOW I SUPPORT
LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE VIOLENT
CRIME IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT IS
FOR 6% OF THE CALLS. SO YOU WILL
SEE EFFICACY. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE YOU SHARED WITH ME. LAST
SUMMER. WE DID AN AFTER ACTION
REVIEW AND I REALIZED SOMETIMES
THE DISCONNECT IS WITH THE
RESPONDERS THEMSELVES. MOST OF
THEM ARE TRAINED TO DO OUTREACH
THE WAY IT IS ALWAYS DONE. YOU
ARE NOT AN OUTREACH WORKER, YOU
ARE A FIRST RESPONDER AND
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS OUTCOME.
WITH THE SUPERVISORS, A LOT OF
THIS HAS TO DO WITH DISPATCH.
AND I SAID IF WE DO NOT USE THIS
RESOURCE, I MYSELF WILL
RECOMMEND DISBANDING IT. I WILL
NOT WASTE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WE
HAVE GOT TO HELP PEOPLE CHANGE
AND HEAL AND WE CAN'T KEEP
LEAVING FOLKS ON THE STREET AND
THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN
BEHAVIOR SO I TAKE FULL
RESPONSIBILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW MY FOLKS
ARE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE. AND
WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GETTING
THE DESIRED RESULTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME SIT IN AND BE A
PART OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION. I
WANTED TO SIT IN ON TODAY'S
PRESENTATION BECAUSE I KNOW HOW
MUCH OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE WORK. IT
MAKES SENSE. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE BUILDING A PUBLIC
SAFETY SYSTEM WITH A QUICK
RESPONSE AND THE RIGHT RESPONSE.
THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE
CONTINUE TODAY HEAR ACROSS THE
BOARD. SO MANY TIMES RESIDENTS
FEEL THEY ARE SEEING A CRISIS
HAPPENING AND SOMETHING THAT
NEEDS TO BE DEESCALATED BUT THEY
RECOGNIZE IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE
FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO ATTEND
TO. SO I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT
AT THE TOP. THIS IS SOMETHING
OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THE CITY. AND SO,
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE FULLY
EMPOWERING AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE LIVING UP TO THAT CALL TO
ACTION. THAT WE ARE HEARING. AND
I THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO
NAME THAT IN A RESOURCE
CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENT, WE
WOULD BE EFFICIENT WITH ALL THE
RESOURCES. AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE SCALING OUR SYSTEM
APPROPRIATELY. THEY ARE
RESPONDING TO THE RIGHT
SCENARIOS. MAKING SURE THEN THAT
WE ARE SCALING OUR ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSES FOR THE MANY CALLS
THAT ARE COMING IN TO RESPOND
AND DEESCALATE. SO, TO THAT END,
BEYOND CALLS BEING DIVERTED, HOW
ARE WE MEASURING SUCCESS OF THE
CARE TEAM? HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE
A SUCCESSFUL CALL YOU ARE
DISPATCHING TO?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER
THAT COMMUNITY DOES UNIFORMLY
WANT THIS. I HAVE BEEN
SURPRISED. I HAVE DONE 200
COMMUNITY GROUPS, BUSINESSES,
EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
ALL I HEAR IS HOW CAN WE HELP
YOU? WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? THAT
HAS BEEN SO INSPIRING. AND IT
HAS REALLY MADE ME VERY
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HUMAN GOODNESS
AND OUR ABILITY TO PUT DOWN WHAT
DOESN'T WORK AND TRY SOMETHING
ELSE. DURING THE STUDY PERIOD,
THE THINGS I WANT TO STUDY AS A
RESEARCHER I CAN'T. I HAVE BEEN
FOCUSED ON THE PERCEPTION OF
UTILITY. ARE WE HEADED IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION? IF THEY DON'T
BELIEVE IT CAN BE DIFFERENT, I
DID ONE INTERVIEW ON CAIRO. I
SAID 100%. IT IS REASONABLE TO
DO SEATTLE WITHOUT TENTS. THIS
IS SOLVE ABLE SO I KNOW THAT IF
WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WILL
NEVER CHANGE SO I REALLY AM
ALWAYS ASKING THE SAME
QUESTIONS. DO YOU LIKE THE SCARE
RESPONSE? ARE YOU MORE LIKELY TO
CALL 911? ESPECIALLY FOR GROUPS
WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN
DISPARITIES WHO JUSTIFIABLY FEAR
THE SYSTEM. DO YOU FEEL BETTER
KNOWING OBJECTIVELY IN 911, WE
WILL SEND THE RESPONSE WE THINK
IS REQUIRED? PEOPLE ARE SO
RELIEVED WHEN I SAY THAT. EVERY
TIME THE NATIONAL LEVEL, TOO, IF
I SAY MY DREAM IS TO NEVER
DISPATCH AGAIN, UNLESS I THINK I
HAVE TO. I ALWAYS FEEL THIS
COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF. A LOT
OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO STUDY IS
NOT SO MUCH ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS.
IT HAS BEEN WHAT DO WE NEED.
SOMEBODY NEEDS A RIDE SOMEWHERE.
IT CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT 40% OF
THE TIME. WHAT SERVICES DO WE
NOT HAVE FOR PEOPLE? I SHARED
INITIALLY, EVEN THE DETOX VAN, I
LEARNED I CANNOT CALL THAT IF I
HAVE NARCANED SOMEONE WITHIN THE
LAST 12 HOURS. IS IT 12 HOURS?
YEAH. AND AGAIN, WHAT DO YOU DO
WITH THAT? IF I NEED TO CALL
DETOX BUT THE RESOURCE IS NOT
AVAILABLE. WE HAVE BEEN USING
THIS 15 MONTHS TO IDENTIFY THOSE
GAPS AND YOU HEARD ME SPEAK A
NUMBER OF TIMES I'M TRYING TO
ELIMINATE FOR THE PUBLIC WHAT IS
GOING ON AND IT IS NOT JUST
ABOUT POLICE STAFFING SHORTAGES.
PEOPLE UP NORTH WERE VERY
FRUSTRATED AND AGAIN, WE WERE
FOCUSED ON THE LACK OF POLICING
AND I WAS THE ONE WHO SAID
LISTEN, EVEN IF I HAD ALL THESE
OFFICERS THERE IS NO MECHANISM
TO ADDRESS THIS HUMAN
TRAFFICKING. THERE'S NOT. THERE
IS NO PREMISE TO APPROACH A
YOUNG WOMAN AND SAY ARE YOU
BEING SOLD. EVEN IF THERE WAS,
SHE SAYS YES I HAVE NO SYSTEM.
THAT IS A SPECIFICALLY
VULNERABLE POPULATION AND I
CANNOT BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN TO
RECOMMEND WHERE WE GO.
SIGNIFICANT SECURITY CONCERNS
AND VULNERABILITY AND SPECIFIC
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA FOR THOSE
FOLKS. SO AGAIN, OUTCOMES,
EVERYBODY LIKES IT, EVERYBODY
WANTS IT. I DON'T HAVE TO CALL
THE POLICE BACK. AND 1700 CALLS
IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. WE CAN
REFER TO THE CSC. WE ARE TAKING
MORE RISE TO PEOPLE INTO
SERVICES. I WILL BE INTERESTED
IN THAT. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE
BEEN ADVOCATING FOR IS THE SWIFT
THROUGH LINE. CAN YOU GET
COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL WORK ON
DEMAND THAT IS NOT JUST ABOUT
DETOX. I SPOKE TO A FRIEND LAST
WEEK, RECOVERY IS NOT JUST
SOBRIETY. THEY WILL COME INTO
SOBRIETY. EXITING TO A DIFFERENT
TYPE OF LIFE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE
DIFFERENT FRIENDS, COMMUNITY,
AND PEOPLE WHO WILL HOLD YOU TO
ACCOUNT. AND WHO WILL RECOGNIZE
IF YOU ARE BACKSLIDING. THAT
PART IS HARD TO SOLVE FOR THAT
WE ARE AWARE OF IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST
LAYING OUT HOW YOU WOULD DEFINE
WHAT A SUCCESSFUL CALL LOOKS
LIKE. AND I ASK THAT QUESTION
BECAUSE I AM HEARING YOU KNOW
FROM FOLKS ON THE DAIS ABOUT
THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE
RESULTS WE ARE LOOKING FOR? WE
HAVE TO GET ALIGNED ON THE
RESULTS WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
BECAUSE CARE AS AN INSTITUTION
AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THE
SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WE ARE
PROVIDING IN MANY CASES. I'M
HEARING THIS LANGUAGE, WE DO
HAVE A NUMBER OF SERVICE
PROVIDERS THAT ARE DOING THIS
WORK AND DOING WORK THAT
PROVIDES A SHORT TERM SOLUTION.
I'M HARKENING BACK TO THE
CONVERSATION WE HAD IN THE
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE WITH OUR NEW OUTREACH
CONTRACTS. AND I AM MINDFUL WITH
OUR OUTREACH CONTRACTS FUNDED
THROUGH HSD ABOUT BASING THEIR
SUCCESS ON THING THAT'S ARE
DEPENDING ON LONG TERM
INVESTMENTS. I WANT US TO BE
REALLY MINDFUL OF THAT. WE CAN
BE FUNDING A NUMBER OF SERVICE
PROVIDERS. WHAT ARE THE SERVICES
WE ARE REALLY FUNDING? ARE THEY
SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS OR LONG
TERM SUPPORTS? WE WILL SEE FOLKS
GETTING INTO RECOVERY AND SO ON.
RECOVERY CAN TAKE YEARS. IT IS
BEYOND JUST 14 DAYS. I WANT US
TO BE MINDFUL. IF WE ARE LOOKING
AT WHAT ESSENTIALLY WHAT RESULTS
LOOK LIKE IF THIS COUNCIL WANTS
TO FIND WHAT RESULTS LOOK LIKE
AS LESS FOLKS EXPERIENCING
BEHAVIOR HEALTH CRISIS ON OUR
STREETS. THAT REQUIRES A
DIFFERENT KIND OF INVESTMENT.
>> IF I COULD JUST RESPOND TO
THAT AND CLARIFY. EVERY TIME I
HAVE DISPATCHED CARE AND THERE
HAS BEEN NO ADVERSE OUTCOME,
ARGUABLY A BETTER OUTCOME, THAT
IS A WIN. THAT WAS A GREAT CALL.
A CORESPONSE IS WHEN AN OFFICER
AND A CASE MANAGER ARE THERE AND
THERE TOGETHER. THAT'S GOOD.
ALSO, YOU REMEMBER DURING
BUDGET, I SHARED I THINK WE
STUDIED THE FIRST, FEWER THAN
600 CALLS. WE HAD LEGITIMATELY
SAVED $1.2 MILLION FROM THE
GENERAL FUND WITHOUT ADVERSE
OUTCOMES SO I THINK IT IS ALWAYS
A SUCCESS WHEN I SEND SOMEBODY
INSTEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
SOCIAL WORK CALL. WE COULD SAVE
A LOT OF MONEY. IF YOU LOOK AT
THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. AND
WHAT I'M SPENDING I HAVE TO
DISPATCH SOMEONE. WHY NOT BE
EFFICIENT?
>> CERTAINLY. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH
WHAT THE INTENTION OF THIS
UNDERLYING ORDINANCE WAS ABOUT.
TO REALLY BE ALIGNING OUR
RESPONSES AND I APPRECIATE MY
COLLEAGUE'S DESIRE TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE DOING THAT AS WELL. WE
SHOULD BE AGAIN, EFFICIENT,
EFFECTIVE, WITH THE RESOURCES
THAT WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE AND
THAT WILL MEAN THAT WE ARE
ACTUALLY COORDINATING OUR
RESPONSES BUT I'M ALSO HEARING
FROM YOU THAT YOU DO NOT
NECESSARILY ARE THE AUTHORITY TO
FULLY IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE.
SO WHAT CAN COUNCIL DO AT THIS
TIME TO SUPPORT THE TRUE
UNIFICATION AND ALIGNMENT OF THE
SERVICES?
>> MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE
EXECUTIVE EARLIER THIS YEAR, IF
YOU WOULD LIKE THE ORDINANCE
CHANGED, THEN LET'S DISCUSS
THAT WITH COUNCIL. IF YOU WANT
IT TO BE TWO DIVISIONS AND NOT
THIS THIRD DIVISION. BUT I AM
VERY LITERAL ABOUT MY JOB AND
WHAT I'M REQUIRED TO DO. I TOOK
AN OATH AND I TAKE THIS
SERIOUSLY. MY ADVICE IS THAT THE
LEGISLATIVE AND THE EXECUTIVE
GET ALIGNED ABOUT THE INTENTION
OF THE DEPARTMEIT. THE FIRST
TIME I MET DEPUTY MAYOR BURGESS,
I WAS ON THE PILOT DESIGN. AND
STRESSING THE NEED TO BOLSTER
HEALTH ONE. HEALTH 99 WASN'T A
THING YET. I REMEMBER SAYING I
NEED THE CARE RESPONDER UNIT. I
SAID I DON'T CARE WHERE IT
SITS. I JUST NEED IT TO EXIST.
YOU DON'T NEED TO MOVE THINGS
INTO MY DEPARTMENT FOR ME TO
HAVE A COORDINATED EFFORT BUT I
NEED A LINE OF SIGHT AND WE NEED
TO BE COLLABORATIVE. I CAN WORK
BEAUTIFULLY. I WANT TO DISPATCH
THE RIGHT FIRST RESPONSE AND
RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY UNIT I CAN
REALLY DISPATCH EXPEDITIOUSLY IS
POLICE. FIRE IS GOING TO A
SECONDARY FIRE ALARM CENTER AND
FIRE DISPATCH. THEY HAVE
SECONDARY RESOURCES BEYOND THAT.
SO I'M STILL GOING THROUGH
LAYERS. WE DESIGN THIS SYSTEM
THAT WAY. IT IS A POOR DESIGN.
>> MY FINAL QUESTION. APOLOGIES,
CHAIR. FINAL QUESTION, THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR GRACIOUSLY ALLOWING ME
TO BE HERE. HOUSE BILL 1816. HOW
CAN COUNCIL LEND OUR SUPPORT TO
MAKING SURE THIS GETS THROUGH?
>> FULL VOTE IS TOMORROW. YOU
CAN SIGNAL SUPPORT FOR IT.
AGAIN, IT WOULD REALLY ADVANCE
OUR ABILITY COLLECTIVELY. I HAVE
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CALLS THAT
FALL IN THOSE CATEGORIES. I HAVE
BEEN FOCUSED ON MORE CALL TYPES
AND MORE BODY OF WORK. I FEEL
LIKE I WOULD HAVE TO BE WELL
OVER 96 RESPONDERS BEFORE I WAS
ADEQUATELY EXPEDITIOUSLY
RESPONDING TO PEOPLE AND BACK TO
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA'S POINT.
CARE IS SUPPOSED TO BE POLICE
AND FIRE. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO
BE URGENT AND ACTIONABLE IN
THEIR WORK AND I WAS TALKING TO
REPRESENTATIVE NICOLE AFTER
SESSION OLYMPIA A FEW WEEKS AGO,
SHE HAD A REALLY BRILLIANT
COMMENT. SHE SAID I DO SEE
THINGS DIFFERENTLY. THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUTREACH AND
FIRST RESPONSE. I UNDERSTAND AS
YOU SEE IT NOW. DO YOU SEE KING
COUNTY MORE LIKE THE DEOC
OUTREACH TEAM? I SAID
ABSOLUTELY. WE NEED THAT.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND HOUSING
PROVIDERS NEEDING SOMEBODY QUICK
IF IT DOESN'T LEVEL UP TO 911
BUT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ACROSS
THE SYSTEM. SO PLEASE DO SIGNAL
SUPPORT IF YOU SUPPORT IT.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ARE
THESE FRESH HANDS FIRST? OKAY.
BEFORE GOING TO, AS COMMITTEE
CHAIR, I'M TRYING TO KEEP THING
TO TWO HOURS AND I HAVE NOT
SPOKEN YET. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE
GONE LONGER. USUALLY I LIKE TO
BLAME CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND MY
CONTROL. BUT WE ARE REALLY
ENDEAVORING TO STAY AT TWO
HOURS. AND THAT IS MY GOAL. AND
I SEE WHAT THE TIME IS. SO IF
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE ASK
QUICK. AND CHAIR BARDEN, PLEASE
RESPOND QUICK. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE? CAN I ADD, TOO, THERE IS
A THEME HERE. I HAVE BEEN
TELEGRAPHING AN ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY AND
EVERYTHING ELSE. SO A LOT OF THE
THINGS DISCUSSED. THERE'S BEEN
DISCUSSIONS WE ARE WORKING THESE
THINGS. SETTING UP OUR COMMITTEE
SCHEDULE. SOME OF THIS IS BY
DESIGN. COMMUNITY SAFETY HAS
BEEN SOMETHING. TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU, HAS TRIGGERED BY GOING
THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS
THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
SO I KNEW THEN THAT IN 2025,
THAT THIS HAD TO BE A FOCUS FOR
US IN 2025. SO WITH THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. I'LL TRY TO
BE BRIEF. JUST A COUPLE OF
THINGS. I WANT TO BE VERY, VERY
CLEAR THAT I DIDN'T HEAR
ANYBODY UP HERE SAY WE DON'T
SUPPORT CARE THAT WE DON'T
SUPPORT AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE.
WE ABSOLUTELY DO. THE
FRUSTRATION IS BECAUSE WE DO
SUPPORT AN ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE
AND WE WANT IT TO BE EFFECTIVE.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THE RECORD IS
CLEAR ON THAT. AND I WANT TO BE
CLEAR I HEARD YOU SAY THAT ONE
OF THE MAIN THINGS YOU NEED TO
DO TO BE EFFECTIVE IS TO DO SOLE
DISPATCH.
>> THERE IS ONE FACTOR THAT IS
THE FACTOR.
>> OKAY. AND THEN I THINK THE
OTHER THING, TOO, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK'S QUESTION ABOUT WHAT ARE
THE RESULTS WE ARE SEEKING. I DO
THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A
DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IS THE
ROLE OF FIRST RESPONDER AND HOW
DO WE COORDINATE THAT WITH
OUTREACH AND SECONDARY RESPONSE?
AND MAKING THAT SPECTRUM OF
RESPONSE? WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE
TO DO THE SPECTRUM. THERE IS A
GAP THERE BETWEEN THOSE TWO. SO
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION. AND THERE WAS A
THIRD THING. OH YES. THAT THE IS
THAT YOU FEEL YOU HAVE NOT BEEN
GIVEN THE PERMISSION OR THE
ABILITY TO FULFILL THE CORE
FUNCTION OF THE ORDINANCE. THAT
IS YOUR POSITION AND SOMETHING
THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
>> THAT IS MY POSITION. IT IS
WELL INTENDED ON THE
EXECUTIVE'S PART. THEY FEEL
PROTECTIVE OF ME. I TALK ABOUT
THE 70 AND 80 HOUR WEEKS. I
THINK PEOPLE ARE WORRIED I WILL
BURN OUT AND TAKE ON TOO MUCH.
IT IS WISE TO GROW RESPONSIBLY.
I LIMITED MYSELF TO 24 DURING
THE PILOT PHASE BECAUSE I WAS
WORRIED. IT WAS SO LONG DELAY
ED. IT IS A LOT OF WORK TO SET
UP THESE UNITS. IN REALITY, IT
IS SLOWING ME DOWN. IT IS
CREATING MORE WORK. IT IS
CREATING MORE HEARTBURN FOR ALL
OF US. I WANT TO GO FROM FIRST
RESPONSE, DO I HAND OFF TO A
LEAD WORKER. SO KAT HERNANDEZ IS
UP HERE, SHE KNOWS EVERY
OUTREACH PERSON IN TOWN AND ALL
THE RESOURCES INTIMATELY. BUT WE
ARE BASICALLY WORKING AROUND THE
PUBLIC SECTOR DESIGNED TO DO
THAT. IT IS SLOWING ME DOWN AND
NOT HELPFUL. MORE IMPORTANTLY.
IT IS NOT ABOUT ME. WE ARE
FAILING PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND
THAT SHOULD FEEL LIKE AN
EMERGENCY.
>> MY LAST QUESTION IS HOW DO
WE, I'LL BE REALLY FRANK ABOUT
THIS. A LOT OF THE OBSTACLES ARE
COMING FROM THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING PIECE. THE POLICE
UNION. AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
POLICE UNION. HOW DO WE HELP?
THIS IS A HUGE HELP TO THEM. THE
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND SEE THIS IN
PARTNERSHIP. SEE IT AS A WAY TO
EMPOWER THEM TO DO THE JOB.
WHERE IT IS CONSIDERED A
TRANSACTION. WE DON'T HAVE MORE
MONEY. WE NEED TO MAKE THIS
WORK. HOW DO WE FILL THIS
DIVIDE? WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME
PAGE HERE. WE ARE WORKING ACROSS
PURPOSES.
>> IF I BROKERED IN GOOD FAITH,
IF I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF LABOR AND
OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT I
WOULD GET THE MOU THAT WHEN I
HAD EVIDENCE THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT LIKED IT, YOU
REMEMBER THE FIRST 600 CALLS.
88% OF THE TIME CARE WAS
REQUESTED BY THE POLICE. SO
QUICKLY, I HEAR IT IN CALLS. ALL
AROUND THE COUNTRY. MY IDEAS ARE
NOT UNPOPULAR. I'M VERY YES
AND. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I KNOW
THAT THIS SORT OF NEGOTIATION
GAME IS PLAYED A CERTAIN WAY IN
THE CITY. I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT
EVERYBODY IS HUMAN AND ANY ONE
OF US COULD BE THE CALLER INTO
911 AND I OFTEN SAY WHO DO YOU
WANT ME TO SEND IF IT IS SOMEONE
YOU LOVE? I AM OFFENDED BY
SELF-INTEREST. I THINK IT IS NOT
RIGHT. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE BARRIER TO PROGRESS IS.
I'M NOT IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS
BUT I APPRECIATE THE URGENCY. I
THINK YOU'LL HAVE TO REFER TO
THE EXECUTIVE ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. AND I REALLY
WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING
THIS TODAY THROUGH COMMITTEE.
AND I FEEL GRATEFUL. I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE YOUR
PARTNERSHIP COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES. THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. I LOVE TO SEE
IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES, MEASURES,
NUMBER OF WARM HANDOFFS TO A
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION.
THOSE WITH LOVED ONES WHO HAVE
BEEN THROUGH TREATMENT AND ARE
RECOVERING. IT ALL STARTS WITH A
WARM HANDOFF. A DETOX, AND
GETTING INTO A TREATMENT TO
BEGIN WITH AND NOT JUST LEAVING
SOMEONE ON THE SIDEWALK. SO IN
TERMS OF MEASUREMENT. WITH THE
UNIFYING AND ALIGNING PIECE, I
AM HERE TO BE A PARTNER TO
FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT. I IMAGINE
SOME OF THIS IS BECAUSE YOU SAID
YOU ARE A NEW DEPARTMENT AND YOU
HAD TO GET THINGS SITUATED. IT
IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PART
OF CARE'S WORK. BECAUSE THE
CITY HAS A LOT OF INTERVENTIONS
THAT WE INVEST IN AND THERE
SHOULD BE A COORDINATED APPROACH
AND THEN NUMBER OF WARM HANDOFFS
FOR ONE WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT
DATA BASE. DATA POINT. AS YOU
EXPAND, TRANSPARENCY VISITING
YOU AT YOUR UW LOCATION. HOW
DOES THIS LOOK AS YOU ARE
EXPANDING BECAUSE THESE ARE TO
ME HAND IN HAND. SO HERE SO BE A
PARTNER, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF
CONCERNS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT
OF MUTUAL CONCERNS BETWEEN US
AND THE CARE DEPARTMENT AND YOUR
TEAM THAT DOES THE WORK. WE ARE
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THERE ARE A
LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE STREET NOT
GETTING CARE WHICH IS THE
ANTITHESIS OF WHY WE ESTABLISHED
THIS. THANK YOU CHAIR.
>> CHAIR IF I MAY JUST ADD, WE
ARE ACTUALLY PUBLISHING THE
DASHBOARD. I THINK THAT IS
WITHIN DAYS RIGHT? I HAVE SEEN A
PREVIEW OF IT. IT IS AN
IMPORTANT DATA POINT. I
SHOULDN'T DISCOUNT THE OUTPUTS.
THE THINGS WE DO EVERY DAY. I
KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT. I'M JUST
REALLY CONSUMED BY OUTCOMES. I
WANT TO SEE PEOPLE COME INTO
RECOVERY AND INTO HOUSING. IT IS
ANOTHER THING I WILL POINT OUT.
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO LINE OF
SIGHT OR INFLUENCE OVER HOMELESS
RESPONSE. PEOPLE CONFUSE THAT.
THEY THINK IT IS ME. I HAVE NO
LINE OF SIGHT INTO THAT. AND OF
COURSE, IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART
OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE. IT IS
JUST DESIGNED THAT WAY.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. GIVEN THE
TIME, THIS USUALLY HAPPENS. I
WILL JUST STEP TO THE BRIEF. I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR
PUBLIC SAFETY CHIEF IS ALSO AT
THE TABLE AS WELL.
>> I KNOW WE ARE OUT OF TIME.
I'M WONDERING IF I CAN SAY
SOMETHING VERY BRIEF.
>> OKAY.
>> I'M GOING TO GO FOR IT. THE
REASON I ASKED AND THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO SIT AT THE TABLE.
I WAS HEARING THE CRITIQUE AND
THE PASSION. WHY CAN'T WE DO
MORE? SO THE CARE DEPARTMENT IS
UNDER MY PORTFOLIO AS OF THIS
JANUARY. IF THERE ARE GOING TO
BE CRITIQUES AND ALSO
CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT
WE SHOULD BE DOING, I WANT TO BE
AT THE TABLE TO HEAR THAT WITH
THE DEPARTMENT. WITH THE CHIEF
OF STAFF. SO THAT FIRST
THING. THE SECOND THING IS WE
ALL WANT TO MOVE WITH URGENCY
AND WE WANT THIS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINING. I
THINK IT IS WELL INTENDED. WE
ARE MOVING IN JANUARY, VERY
FAST. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS
DEPARTMENT IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS
AND RECEIVE ALL THE WORK WE WILL
BE DOING HERE. AND I DO WANT TO
TAKE A NOTE. I THINK IT WAS
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER. THE GROWTH
OF THIS DEPARTMENT IN TWO YEARS,
THIS IS MY 28th YEAR IN THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL FIELD, I HAVE
NEVER SEEN A DEPARTMENT GROW AND
EXPAND CITY WIDE. AND ONE
EXAMPLE I WILL USE WHICH
ACTUALLY HAS COME INTO THE
CONTRACTS AND THE OUTCOMES AND
LOOKING AT WHAT WE ARE DOING IN
TERMS OF LEADING COLEAD, THAT IS
COMING UNDER THE PUBLIC SAFETY
DEPARTMENT TO IN TURN GO TO
CARE. THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW
WE ARE STARTING TO EXTEND THAT
COORDINATION. BUT LEAD IS ALSO A
PROGRAM WE HAVE TRIED TO GROW
CITY WIDE. AND IT DID NOT TAKE
TWO YEARS. IT TOOK MANY MORE
YEAR TO DO THAT. BUT THAT IS ONE
EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE STARTING
TO MOVE TO THE CARE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE ALSO REALLY KEEN ON
MAKING SURE CARE IS A PART OF
THAT. GOING TO PARTS OF THE
ORDINANCE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
COORDINATING THE EFFORTS AND THE
REFERRALS TO OUTREACH. TO OUR
CITY AND COUNTY PROVIDERS, I
THINK THAT IS KEY. AND I WANT TO
HIT ON MOORE'S FRUSTRATION. THE
VOLUNTARINESS. THAT IS ONE OF
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES. CITY,
STATE, OR FEDERAL TREATMENT
PROGRAMS. WE ARE RELYING ON
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WELL. THEY
ARE KEY BECAUSE THAT IS OUR ONLY
AVENUE AT THIS POINT. I WILL
FINISH IN TERMS OF MY CARE RIDE
ALONG. I SHARE THE URGENCY AND
WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR,
WE WANT TO BUILD CARE UP TO BE
ABLE TO TAKE ON WHAT IS AN
INCREDIBLE TASK. COORDINATING
ALL OF OUR RESPONSE. I WANT TO
SIT HERE WHILE THAT FEEDBACK IS
COMING TO MAKE SURE THIS
DEPARTMENT KNOWS I SUPPORT IT.
AND THE EXECUTIVE IS VERY AWARE
OF THE CHALLENGES.
>> YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AS
WELL. AND IN TERMS OF
RESPONSIBILITY, IT IS JUST RIGHT
THAT YOU ARE HERE. AND I
APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO THE
TABLE. JUST BECAUSE OF TIME, AND
JUST TO CLOSE OUT, AS CHAIR. I
JUST WANTED TO NOTE A FEW
THINGS. AND GOING THROUGH THE
BRIEFING. ONE OF THE NOTES MADE,
I SAID THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE AT
PLAY TOO. I HAVE BEEN WORKING
THIS HERE FROM THE DAIS BUT ALSO
MY PREVIOUS VOLUNTEER POSITIONS.
THE IDEA OF VOLUNTARY COMMIT.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T WANT TO
MOVE ON THIS, THAT'S A
CHALLENGE. AND THOSE FOLKS WITH
THOSE IDEAS. YOU MADE THIS POINT
ABOUT THE SELF-DETERMINATION.
THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROBLEM.
SO THAT IS A BIG THING. THAT'S
A BIG CHALLENGE AND WE HAVE THAT
SENTIMENT HERE IN SEATTLE. THE
PEOPLE IN THE STREETS REMAIN IN
THE STREETS AND IN CRISIS.
SOMEBODY NAMED TIM WHO CAN
ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE TO GO TO
SOME TYPE OF TREATMENT FACILITY.
YOU MADE A POINT ABOUT SENDING
SPD. I MADE THIS POINT IN A
LETTER TWO YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS
AGO, OCTOBER OF 2020. THIS IS
SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK TO DO.
IT IS NOT SEEN AS A PENALTY. BUT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TOO MANY
THINGS HAVE BEEN LOBBED ONTO
SPD'S MISSION SET. THIS IS NO
DIFFERENT THAN DOD. BECAUSE DOD
HAS COMMUNICATIONS. EVERYTHING
GETS LOBBED ON. SO IT IS ABOUT
CENTERRIZING THEM ON THEIR
MISSION SET. AND I THINK THAT IS
IMPORTANT. I JUST WANTED TO
REAFIREARM THAT, THIS IS
ALLOWING SPD TO DO ITS MISSION
AS OPPOSED TO BEING STRADDLED
WITH ALL THESE OTHER COLLATERAL
DUTIES. AND YOU TALKED AT 911
DEMILITARIZATION. I WOULD SAY
DECENTRALIZATION. MORE BLUE IS
BETTER, LESS BLACK. MORE
GUARDIAN, LESS WARRIOR. BUT THE
DECENTRALIZATION IS NO DIFFERENT
THAN LIKE AFTER 9/11 WITH THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.
ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AND I SEE THAT
HERE WITHIN THE PUBLIC SAFETY
SPACE AND I THINK WE HAVE MADE
GREAT MOVES. THE FACT WE HAVE A
PUBLIC SAFETY CHIEF. ON THE CALL
TRENDS, VERY INTERESTING. I
WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THAT. BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH A
MASSIVE CHANGE THAT IT CAN THROW
OFF DATA SETS SO NEED TO CUT FOR
AND UNDERSTAND. UNDERSTANDING
HOW THAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO KNOW. REGARDING THE CRISIS
RESPONDERS PIECE, BY THE WAY, I
LOVE THE GEORGETOWN ASPECT. I
MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING
DURING MY CHAIR WITH EXPECTATION
MANAGEMENT. WE NEED TO DO THAT
HERE TOO. THIS BODY OF WORK.
BECAUSE 24 DOESN'T GIVE YOU
CITY WIDE COVERAGE REALLY. AS
SOMEBODY WHO IS A NAVY GUY WHO
WORKS WATCHES, YOU UNDERSTAND
THIS IS MY VICE CHAIR ASKED FOR,
THAT IS A BIG NUMBER. IT IS NOT
EVEN 91. WE NEED TO BE PUSHING
FORWARD, DOING IT IN EXPECTATION
MANAGEMENT PIECE. IT GOES TO HOW
PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING THIS. HOW
THEY ARE PER SEVERODONETSKING
OUR MOVEMENT AS A CITY. AS A ONE
SEATTLE TEAM. AND WE NEED TO DO
THIS WITH OUR OTHER GOVERNMENT
RESPONSE MAKING SURE THEY COME
TOGETHER. NOT FOR NOW, BUT I'M
REALLY INTERESTED IN THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH LEAD. COLEAD.
WE DELIVER CARE. WE HEART
SEATTLE. HOW WE CAN DO THESE
THINGS. AND I MADE THIS POINT
LAST NIGHT. ALL THESE
ORGANIZATIONS NEED TO BE
COMMITTED AND ERATING AND
ENGAGING. BECAUSE IN THE LONG
TERM, IF THE COMMUNITY AND THE
NEIGHBORHOODS FALTER, THAT
DOESN'T ALLOW US TO HELP THE
PEOPLE IN CRISIS. THE NEXT PIECE
I WANTED TO RAISE BRIEFLY,
COMMUNITY SAFETY. THIS IS THE
REASON WE ARE HAVING THIS.
FIRST, IS THE REPORTS IN THE
NEWS ABOUT DRUG DEALING WITH THE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT AND ON THE
COUNTY LEVEL, EMBEZZLEMENT. THIS
WAS COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA'S
LANE. WE HAVE TO DO THAT
OVERSIGHT. WE CAN'T HAVE THESE
NON-PROFITS EMBEZZLING MONEY.
THAT HAPPENED AT THE COUNTY
LEVEL. WE CAN'T HAVE THAT AT
THE CITY LEVEL. BUT SEPARATELY.
COUNCILMEMBER WU ADDING PROGRAM
IN. AND COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH ADDING IN SOME
COMMUNITY SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS
WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL AND
NEEDED. BUT LOOKING AT THE
COMMUNITY BUDGET ACTIONS. THERE
IS THIS GROUP. BUT IT IS NOT
REALLY COORDINATED TO THE WAY
THE OVERSIGHT AND SO FORTH. AND
IS IT NESTED IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO DO MISSION SET
WISE? ARE SOME OF THESE
ORGANIZATIONS KIND OF GOING OFF
ON A TANGENT IN WE NEED TO
ENSURE WE ARE ALL WORKING
TOGETHER IN ONE SEATTLE WAY TO
INCLUDE THESE COMMUNITY SAFETY
NON-PROFITS. THIS IS THE
BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION. I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE. AND I HAVE NO
INTENTION OF TAKING OUT SECTION
6, SECTION 1, NUMBER SIX. AT
ALL. SO I BELIEVE IN WHAT THE
MAYOR SIGNED OFF ON WE NEED TO
START TALKING THROUGH AND
WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY
CHIEF AND THE MAYOR TO ENSURE WE
ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION AND WE ARE
COLLABORATING. SO WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER ON THAT. BY DESIGN,
THIS IS MEETING ONE OF A SERIES
THAT WORKS THROUGH THESE ISSUES
TO THE ISSUES HIGHLIGHTED BY MY
COLLEAGUES. SO TO CLOSE BECAUSE
I'M OVER 11:30 WHICH WAS MY
GOAL. TWO THINGS. I'M KIND OF
GOING BACK, MY COLLEAGUES HEARD
THIS. MOST OF THEM. BECAUSE WE
WERE THE COHORT IN 23. PUBLIC
SAFETY. PUBLIC HEALTH. WE HAVE
TO COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I WANT TO CLOSE, TOO, WITH
THE IDEA OF COMPASSION AND
WISDOM. YES, WE NEED TO HAVE THE
COMPASSION FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN
CRISIS. BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE
WISDOM TO KNOW WE HAVE TO LOOK
OUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS
VOLUNTARY COMMIT AND DO THE
OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THESE
DIFFERENT PIECES ARE WORKING
TOGETHER IN A COHERENCE WAY AND
THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE GOOD. THIS
IS A PROJECT I COMMIT MYSELF AS
CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE TO WORK
WITH THE EXECUTIVE AND OTHERS
UPSTAIRS. WE CAN HAVE SOME
ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS. AND
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
BRIEFING TODAY. AND WITH THAT,
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE
AGENDA. IS THERE ANY FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, WE ARE
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ EVENT CONCLUDED ]